Love changes everything
by Ronniellefan
Summary: Ronnie and Danielle are reunited after been forced apart; will they be everything they want each other to be?
1. Chapter 1

**I decided to write a new fic to try and keep up ideas for my other two fics and to give you something else to read! I've written the first couple of chapters and think it's probably better than my other two fics but I'll let you decide lol. So here's the first chapter, hope you enjoy it!**

"Please Ronnie, I'm her. I'm Amy, your baby daughter," Danielle pleaded to her mother to believe her, that she, the girl stood only meters away was the baby that Ronnie had secretly wanted all her life. She would get on her knees and beg if she had to; all that mattered to her was her mother and the unconditional love she had for her. But the look on Ronnie's face proved to her that she didn't believe her and that Danielle had tried in vain, but failed to convince her mother that she was the daughter she had longed for all her life. The little girl that had had Ronnie's heart since her birth, and was the only person who could change Ronnie, and make her the person she once was.

Poising her lips, Ronnie stared at the girl in front of her who was turning into a dismantled wreck in front of her own eyes, but she couldn't believe her. She just couldn't. Her own dad had told her that her baby, her darling daughter, her baby Amy had died years ago, alone and without her, without Ronnie, without her mother. _Shes dead. Dead and buried._ But here Danielle was, claiming she was her long lost daughter, the pleading behind her eyes was too much as Ronnie turned her head away from Danielle, unable to maintain eye contact. Ronnie watched helplessly, as her dad tightened her grip on Danielle's arms and Danielle winced as his touch.

"I…I have the locket Ronnie, the same as yours. It has a picture of you inside from when you were little. How would I know that if I wasn't her?" Danielle felt the tears burning behind her eyes, all she wanted was the mother stood in front of her, unaware that Ronnie wanted, with all her heart, to believe Danielle and hold in her arms and never let go.

"Shes delusional V told me all about her plan to become your daughter, ruin the memory of your little Amy." Archie's voice was cold and calculating, and the mention of her daughter's name made Ronnie shudder. What right did Archie have to say her name, the person who had taken away the only thing Ronnie had ever cared about, and he was saying her name like it didn't matter. Those words were too precious to be _ever_ said by him, her daughter meant so much more than he would ever know.

Danielle felt helpless, useless and defeated; unsure of how much more of this she could take. She just wanted Ronnie to hold her in her arms and tell her she loved her, it wasn't much to ask. She had to stand her ground but she felt too tired of fighting, too tired for all of this, she just wanted her mum. All she could summon enough energy for, was a simple shake of her head, and a simple whisper "Please Ronnie…"

Ronnie suddenly felt a burst of anger. How dare these people ruin the memory of her darling daughter? She felt her blood boil as she thought about how scared her baby must have been and how these two people in front of her were trying to rid her mind of the one happy memory she had of her baby. But then, what if, what if Danielle was telling the truth? What if she was her baby, the one thing she had spent her life longing for? She remembered Danielle mention a locket, could it be? What if Danielle did have the locket? She would be reunited with her daughter, her perfect baby girl, and all her pain would disappear. She had to find out the truth.

"The locket. Where is it?"

Danielle rose her head, as Archie's grip tightened on her arm, hearing the words her mother spoke. Her hand instinctively rose to her neck where the locket had hung for so many years and she felt panic rise as she felt the emptiness of her neck before she remembered placing it downstairs in Ronnie's champagne glass, a few hours previously when she had been sure that Ronnie knew the truth, when her granddad had made sure Danielle knew the consequences of confronting Ronnie.

"It's…its downstairs Ronnie!"

Ronnie couldn't help but let out a little laugh, everything had fallen back down onto her. Danielle didn't have the locket; everything she could have had was gone again, in only a few seconds. And Danielle, she had caused Ronnie more pain than anybody else, how dare she say she was Ronnie's perfect angel.

"Please Ronnie. I put it in your champagne glass. It's…It's… in your champagne glass. I put in there earlier, please Ronnie; it's in your glass."

"Show me then. Show me this locket" Ronnie half screamed at the young woman in front of her, if she had this locket then…Ronnie couldn't even think about the consequences, and if she didn't then Ronnie would make sure Danielle was out of her life forever.

"Let's get you out of here," Archie snarled as Danielle started to scramble down the stairs, Archie's grip still tight around her arm. He whispered into her ear that she would regret this; Ronnie was a sick woman, she would ruin everything but Danielle knew she owed Ronnie the truth. Danielle managed to burst free from Archie's grip as the reached the bottom of the stairs, she ran into the Vic desperate to show her mother the truth.

Frantically, she looked in Ronnie's champagne glass; it had gone. Moving around the Vic, Danielle was desperate; tears were streaming down her face as she realised that the locket had gone and so was her chance with her mother. She could feel the burning glares of all the locals as her sight blurred behind her constant stream of tears and her hearing became muffled. The screams of Peggy Mitchell, the lies of Archie and the coldness of Ronnie's voice became merged into one as panic overcame Danielle; she had lost her chance. As she cried over the champagne glasses which were now spread all over the table, she felt a cold hand grab violently onto her wrist. She was forcefully turned around and faced with the screams and emotional cries of Ronnie, who was shouting things into Danielle's face. Danielle only caught words of what Ronnie was saying but the words she heard cut through her heart. _Freak. Never see you again. Go home._ She looked into Ronnie's eyes, pleading her mother to believe her.

"Please…Ronni…Ronnie, you're my mum…my mum" It was all she could manage. Danielle was defeated as she was dragged to the door by her own mother.

"Who'd want a daughter like you?" Ronnie spat into Danielle's ear as they reached the door, too much pain had been caused to both of them. Danielle felt her whole world collapse, as she broke down in hysterical cries. Ronnie didn't want her, she had made that perfectly clear, but she had just been humiliated in front of the whole square and rejected in the most painful way.

As Ronnie opened the Vic door, a sparkle from a nearby champagne glass caught her eye. Her heart skipped a beat as she paused, listening to the heavy breathing and crying of Danielle, before reaching out and grabbing the glass. She loosened her grip on Danielle, desperate to keep this girl in her eyesight, incase this was the locket she had desperately dreamed about seeing, as she poured the contents of the glass onto her open palm. And there it was. The locket. An identical locket that Ronnie had given away with her baby all those years ago. Shaking, she carefully released the clasp of the locket to come face to face with a picture of herself as a fourteen year old. Ronnie gasped as she finally realised the truth, before looking up to come face to face with her broken, distraught daughter, who was hysterically crying.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it! Unfortunately this will probably be your last update before Christmas but I hope to update before the new year, if not then it will be early 2010! (All I need is you will hopefully be updated before Thursday!) I want to wish all my readers and reviewers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year! **

Her head was spinning as Ronnie looked into Danielle's eyes. Everything had changed. Everything. Danielle helplessly stood there, unsure of how to react, what to do, still crying. Ronnie now knew the truth but rejection was all Danielle was expecting. Archie was going to take advantage of this situation and make sure that mother and daughter were apart forever. Ronnie looked up as Archie approached them, her motherly protective instincts taking over as she stood between her still hysterical daughter and her father.

"Come on V, you can't believe her," Still calm and cold, Archie had a way of persuading his eldest child that he was always right. He reached out ready to grab Danielle and make sure he never saw her again, the child that had ruined his teenage daughter's life and now the woman that was capable of ruining his.

"Don't touch her." Ronnie spoke in an exact mirror of her father, determined to protect Danielle. "You have NO right, no right at all. You kept her from me, you…you told me she was dead…and you told…you told Danielle that I didn't want her. I NEVER want to see you again." Ronnie screamed into her father's face her breathing becoming erratic and unsteady. Danielle shut her eyes tight at the sound of her mother's voice, she knew Ronnie was trying to protect her but she scared her.

Ronnie slowly turned around to face her beloved daughter, smiling properly for the first time in the past twenty years. Danielle was now crouched on the floor still crying; feeling rejected and hurt, and was completely unaware that Ronnie was facing her. The whole Vic remained silent as Ronnie stood looking in awe at Danielle and as Archie stood watching his daughter and granddaughter. Ronnie slowly approached Danielle, her hand outstretched. She bent down reaching out to her daughter, her palm touching the soft skin of her daughter's check, as she gently wiped away the tears that rolled down her baby's face. Danielle remained, sobbing, in her own little world, still unaware of everything that had happened. At Ronnie's gentle touch, Danielle flinched, scared that her mother was going to throw her out, just like she had been prepared to do a few moments ago. Ronnie felt a lump in her throat as she realised the extent of her unnecessary cruel treatment of her daughter, and how she had changed her, from the once confident woman to a dismantled wreck that was now sat in front of her.

"Danielle…Danielle…" Ronnie spoke slowly and with more love in her voice than she had ever spoken before. She wanted more than anything to just speak to her baby alone, speak to her and find out everything. Every detail of her life, every moment that made her proud, every moment that Danielle had lived. But she knew they couldn't do it with an audience, an audience whom in front of, Ronnie had humiliated and rejected her own daughter. She looked at Roxy desperately, just wanting everyone to disappear, her eyes pleading at her sister to help.

"Orite everyone, party's over." The residents of the Square cautiously started to move, staring at the wreck of a woman crouched on the floor and the caring figure of Ronnie Mitchell.

"Get out! Get out!" Peggy hurled at the residents, ashamed that her wedding had become a circus and the poor girl on the floor was the main attraction. She walked over to Archie, disgusted at his actions. "Get outa my pub and NEVER come back!" She spat in his face as a state of shock appeared on Archie's face; he thought he'd changed her, had her wrapped around his finger.

"Peggy…" Archie tried to persuade her, he couldn't loose his family; they couldn't loose him. Peggy ran to the hallway, unable to cope with all of this; on her wedding day too, it wasn't fair. But what he had told Ronnie? She could never forgive him for causing her niece that much pain. Running, Archie followed Peggy, desperate to keep his wife on his side.

Ronnie remained crouched over Danielle, desperate to talk to her baby, the one thing in her life that had mattered. How could she not have believed her own daughter? How could she have treated her like she did? The shouts from Archie and Peggy were muffled but could still be heard through the door, as Ronnie tried her best to comfort her daughter.

"Danielle…I'm…I'm so sorry," Ronnie wiped away the tears that were spilling from Danielle's eyes and gently falling down her face. "Please, Danielle…look at me" Danielle gently looked up at her mother, the heart of all her pain but yet all her love. The expression on Ronnie's face was one of joy and happiness but Danielle simply stared, a blank expression lining her face whilst the tears streamed down her face. "Danielle…I'm so, so sorry. If only I'd known…if only you'd told me…"

Danielle viscously wiped Ronnie's hand away from her face. Her mother had caused her too much pain and Danielle wasn't sure she could forgive her; the memories were all too raw.

"You don't think I tried!" Danielle shocked even herself at how cold she sounded despite her weak cries still being heard in the cracks of her voice. "I tried so many times Ronnie…"

"I know. I'm so sorry baby…"

"Baby? You gave away the right to call me yours when you gave me away. I was only a baby Ronnie, what did I do wrong? You rejected me time and time again and you expect me to forgive you?" The tears continued to stream down her face, she couldn't help it but everything was emotionally draining her. All she wanted was to believe Ronnie, believe her words but she couldn't, why had life become so cruel?

"I…I…I'm sorry Danielle. I'm truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you, or cause you any pain. I…I never got over losing you, I'm so, so sorry Danielle, really I am" Ronnie was begging her daughter to believe her, to just give her a chance to explain, she had to explain, explain her pain.

"But…I was the biggest mistake of your life, you told me…you said that you…you said to me you wished you'd got rid of me…" She was stumbling over her words, everything she had ever known was falling apart in front of her.

"No, Danielle. I was hurting because I thought I'd lost you forever, he…he told me you were dead. I had no reason to live, you're that reason Danielle. You're my Amy…" Ronnie had to explain, she had found her baby, the one true love of her life, and she wasn't letting her go, not again.

"But…but…" Everything was becoming too confusing for Danielle. Everything she had known had disappeared and everything she hadn't known had just become a clouded mess. Danielle felt like crying again at how messed up everything was but she had no more tears left to cry and she didn't want to show her vulnerability in front of her mother, who had already caused her pain beyond that she could explain.

"Danielle, if you let me explain. I can help you understand. Please Danielle… I just want us to be mother and daughter…I need you Danielle,"

"You haven't for the past nineteen years. Where were you then Ronnie? Partying? Holidaying in Ibiza? Having fun without me? I…I can't do this Ronnie, I…I just can't."

Danielle slowly stood up, ready to leave. She had never seen Ronnie in this state, and hoped she would never see her this distraught again but she wasn't ready to forgive, not yet, it was all too soon. Remaining crouched on the floor, Ronnie couldn't keep her eyes off her baby, her perfect, beautiful, baby daughter. Panic flooded through her when she realised what Danielle's intentions were, her voice shaking,

"Danielle…where…where are you going?" Her voice echoed with worry, she needed her daughter to be by her side.

"I…I can't stay here, I…I have to go."

"But…I want you to stay Danielle. We need to talk," Her voice sounded the same of that as her daughters only moments ago, pleading her daughter to believe her, to let her take all the pain away.

"I don't want to talk Ronnie. I don't want to stay here, especially not with you. I'm a FREAK remember, who'd want a daughter like me?" Her voice mimicking that of her mother.

The shouts echoed through the bar as Danielle made a desperate attempt to flee from the Vic, the pleas from Ronnie rushing through her mind. As she left the Vic, she let out a howling cry; she had wanted more than anything for Ronnie to look at her like she had done inside the Vic, but the pressure had all become too much for Danielle, the pressure to say the right things and the pressure to be the perfect daughter Ronnie had imagined.

Inside, Ronnie lay on the floor in a collapsed heap, tears escaping from her eyes, as she heard the slam of the Vic door. Her baby had gone. Escaped from her life for the second time, and what was she doing just staying here? She should be out trying to persuade her daughter that she's changed, that she will be everything that Danielle wants her to be. Ronnie followed the exact path that Danielle had taken, running as fast as she could in the purple bridesmaid dress. She threw off her shoes, which were slowing her down before leaving the Vic. As the cold April air hit her, Ronnie was at a loss of which direction to go. Where would her daughter go?

Danielle could tell her eyes were puffy and red, she had been crying none stop for hours now. She had no idea why she had left the Vic, where her mother had wanted her, wanted them to be together, but she had. Walking around aimlessly, Danielle had no idea where to go; she wanted to go back to Ronnie but was unsure Ronnie would want her after her rejection. She hadn't come after her, after all. As she turned around the corner to the tube station, Danielle heard the screech of the car and revving of an engine that swiftly moved towards her. Danielle was frozen to the spot as the car directly hit her, dragging her along the floor, and hitting her head loudly on the concrete. She lay there lying alone. Alone and wanting her mum.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews. Hope you enjoy this chapter, Ronnie and Danielle will get their moment soon ;) New chapter of "**_**Can we make this work**_**?" also up!**

Ronnie felt sick as she heard a car engine and the loudest scream followed by a bang, the dropping of a body onto the cold concrete floor. The sound of the female voice made Ronnie gip; she knew that voice, it had only one owner and that was her darling daughter, her darling Danielle.

"Danielle!" Ronnie ran in the direction of her daughter's scream, the tube station. As she turned the corner, the exact steps her daughter had just walked, she was faced with the small, helpless body of her daughter. But she was also greeted with the one man who had cursed her whole life, the man who had snatched everything from her and who had tried to keep her baby daughter from her.

"Get away from her!" Ronnie screeched as she nearened Danielle. "Get off her! Get Off her!"

"Look what's happened to your darling daughter V. I told you she was better off without you, look what's happened to her whilst she was in YOUR care…"

"Get off her!" Ronnie tried to move Archie's arm from around her daughter, wanting it to be her whose arm's she lay in, but try as she could, her dad was too strong for her. Ronnie needed to see the condition Danielle was in, needed to be there to comfort her and make sure all the pain disappeared, but she could see Danielle needed an ambulance. Scrambling around in her pocket, Ronnie managed to quickly phone an ambulance while hysterically worrying about her daughter; her cries haunted the empty street.

"What did you do to her, V? I couldn't stop her, she just ran in front of the car…" Archie smirked, relishing in the pain he was causing his daughter.

"NO! You hit her, you…you hit her. I heard it. You can cause me as much pain as you want but not Danielle, she doesn't deserve it. You don't deserve us, and Danielle, Danielle is too good for you…" Ronnie stuttered, her eyes never leaving Danielle.

"You caused her more pain than I could V. She told me everything you did to her, and I told her exactly what a cold calculating person you are…" Archie brushed his hand across Danielle's face causing Ronnie to wince in pain; her father had no right to be there with her daughter. Danielle was hers, not his, her precious daughter, they needed each other.

"She want's me. She came to find me… she wants me, her mum."

"I wouldn't be so sure V, not after her little chats with her granddad…how are you going to explain that one?"

"No!" She brushed her hands through her hair, wondering how everything had come to this. "I NEVER want to see you again, you…you can rot in hell! Danielle wants me and I need her…but you, you are going to die alone!"

Ronnie felt defeated as Archie continued to talk but there was hope; the ambulance could be heard approaching them. She knew she had to fight for her beautiful little girl but she was unsure of what her dad had said, turning her daughter against her. Whatever Danielle thought, Ronnie would be there to fight for her daughter, it was all she had ever wanted. As the ambulance drew up, Ronnie felt a wash of relief; Danielle would be safe and her dad, gone from their lives altogether.

"Please, that's my daughter. Her name's Danielle Jones, please she's my little girl."

The next few minutes passed in a blur, as Ronnie helplessly watched her daughter being taken away from her, by a bunch of strangers. Archie slipped out of sight, away from the view of his daughter, and out of the paramedic's eyesight.

"Miss…Miss" The paramedic tried to grab Ronnie's attention who was in a deep trance just simply watching Danielle. "We are taking Danielle to Walford General; you are welcome to come with her,"

"Yes, yes thank you." Ronnie turned to face the paramedic, smiling gratefully, before climbing into the ambulance, to once again face her daughter.

Danielle was laying attached to all these beeping machines that made Ronnie jump every time they made a sound. Why are they trying to hide her beautiful face from me? Ronnie thought selfishly. She needed to see her daughter's face, to memorize every feature, every sweeping hair, every freckle, and every glimmer in her daughter's eyes. As the doors were shut behind her, Ronnie wished the conditions they were in were different, just her daughter and her. Together, at last. But they weren't together, able to talk. Ronnie didn't know how bad a condition Danielle was in, but she prayed that her daughter would make it, they still had so much to catch up and Ronnie wasn't having her daughter taken away from her, not now, not again.

She sat by her daughter's side, not daring to move for the duration of the journey, her eyes aching as she resisted the urge to blink, afraid that if she did, Danielle might just disappear again. She felt slightly stupid sitting there in her bridesmaid dress but she had to be there for her daughter, to be the first person she saw when she awoke, be there to hold her hand. Every time the machines beeped out of time, every time Danielle's heart changed pattern, Ronnie's heart leapt as she feared now was the time she would loose her baby, loose her forever. Every bone longed for that gentle touch of her daughter, that smile, the eyes so full of love but she couldn't have it, she never had been able to. Her position, subconsciously, mirrored that of her daughters in the living room of the Vic last week, her free fingers fiddling with the ring on her left hand, as she prayed that her daughter would make it through, that everything would be fine…

The next ten minutes passed in an instant as Danielle was transported from the back of the ambulance into the hospital. Ronnie had desperately followed her daughter to the best of her abilities but her bridesmaid dress was holding her back, making her fall behind the fast pace of the medics. Danielle was whisked out of Ronnie's sight before she got to say goodbye to her daughter and before Ronnie was whisked into a small 'family room' with a female doctor.

"Please, my baby. I need to see her," Ronnie felt her eyes welling up; her daughter was the only thing she needed.

"I'm sorry Miss…" The nurse spoke sympathetically but it wasn't enough for Ronnie, nothing was enough, except her daughter.

"Ronnie, please call me Ronnie," She whispered as she wiped away the tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Ronnie, but the doctors need to see Danielle and any damage inside that could have been caused by the accident. She could be in theatre for hours, it might be best if you come back tomorrow morning, have a bit of rest?"

"No, I'm not leaving her, I'm not," Ronnie stumbled over her words at the thought of not seeing her daughter for twelve hours; she needed to see her, memorise her features, her gestures.

"Ok then, I'll come and get you when Danielle is well enough to see you, it might be best for you to get a little rest though Ronnie,"

Ronnie nodded her head not even realising she was doing it; she wasn't going to sleep or rest. Danielle was her priority and they needed each other and Ronnie would move the moon and stars for her daughter, her precious baby daughter, her darling Danielle.


	4. Chapter 4

**So I was off college because of the snow and wrote this. I hope you enjoy and I'll try and update again soon!**

Every minute that passed by felt like hours to Ronnie Mitchell, hours without her daughter, without her baby. She had sat watching the clock, the second hand pass by but nothing was moving fast enough, she just wanted to see Danielle. The coffee she had bought herself remained full and now cold in her hands, she hadn't touched it, not one drop. She thought she better ring Roxy, explain what was going on but she was afraid that as soon as she took her mind off Danielle, something bad would happen to her, she wished her daughter would awake and she would be able to see her. As she slowly dug out the phone from her pocket, she stared around the room, her eyes darting from one poster to another. _Bereavement counseling. Coping with the loss of a loved one. Losing a family member. _Could the room become any more depressing? Ronnie wouldn't be able to function if she lost Danielle again, not a second time, her whole world would fall apart. She closed her eyes tightly, as she dialed Roxy's number, just hoping, hoping that her daughter would make it and they could be together again.

"Hello, Ron? Where are you? I've been trying to get hold of you."

"I'm at the hospital Rox," Ronnie spoke softly and quietly, she didn't want to admit it really. Admit that she had failed her duty as a mother to protect her child, the most precious thing in her life; maybe Archie had been right…maybe she wasn't cut out to be a mother. If only she'd persuaded Danielle to stay none of this would have ever happened or if she'd believed in the first place, her daughter would be in her arms right now.

"Hospital? Ron, is everything ok? Is it Danielle?"

She could tell by the sound in her voice that Roxy was genuinely concerned. Ronnie's voice croaked as she bit her lip and a few stray tears fell down her face,

"She…she had an accident Rox. Dad…he…he…his car…"

Her voice failed her as she became hysterical, Danielle, her daughter…she was all she wanted, all she had ever wanted…

"Ron, I'm coming right over. Just stay strong, yeah, for Danielle,"

Ronnie couldn't even hang up from Roxy, her phone lay in her hands as she uncontrollable sobbed, her head falling into her hands. Her hand tightened around the two lockets hung down from her neck, finding comfort from simply just been able to 'hold' her daughter in her hands, just like she had found comfort from it the past twenty years.

Roxy arrived in true Mitchell fashion, bursting through the hospital doors and demanding to see her niece. The nurses however, quickly put her in her place and instructed her to the family room, where Ronnie was still a mess. Going over to comfort her sister, Roxy felt a lump lodge in her throat; she hadn't seen Ronnie like this since Danielle was taken away from her as a baby, her sister was hysterical.

"Ron…Ron" Roxy wrapped her arms around her sister as Ronnie leant her head on Roxy's shoulder. She soothingly comforted her sister, moving her hand up and down her back, as Ronnie's cries started to fade. "What happened Ron?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper but she needed to know what had happened, tell Ronnie it wasn't her fault, tell her Danielle loved her more than anything. Ronnie's head raised slightly as her cries become more distant and less hysterical at her sister's question.

"He…he…" Her voice broke off as she burst into heavy sobs once more, the guilt she bore becoming too much for her. Why couldn't she have just protected Danielle?

"Everything's going to be ok Ronnie," Those words had previously come out of Ronnie's mouth, the words she had spoken to Danielle before she had the abortion. _Everything will be ok sweetie. _She had comforted her daughter, her motherly instinct taking over her, she remembered the tight grip Danielle had had on her, how she felt her daughter cuddle into her shoulder, the answers Danielle had expected Ronnie to have, even the woman at the clinic. _Do you want your mum to come in with you? _She had taken her own daughter for an abortion, encouraged it, how could she have been so naïve and not realised? "What happened Ronnie, what's wrong with Danielle?" Roxy carried on pressing, just wanting answers.

"She just ran out Rox, I…I couldn't stop her. She was crying…and I…I was crying…she just left. I went to find her and…oh god…I heard her scream…it was awful…" Her eyes closed as she thought back to earlier that night, the events playing over and over in her mind, her daughter's scream echoing through her head… "Dad…he…he hit her with the car. He…He…she was in his arms… she should have been in mine….he spoke to me and then he was gone. When the ambulance came he just disappeared and Danielle…she…the machines…" The heavy sobs echoed in the room as Ronnie told Roxy that night's events. The guilt she felt was becoming unbearable, the guilt for not been there, for saving Danielle. It should be her in there, suffering, not her baby; she had suffered enough.

"It'll be ok Ronnie. She's a Mitchell, she's a fighter, just like you," Soothing her sister wasn't something she was used to; it was always the other way round but she had to do it, if not for her or Ronnie, but for Danielle.

Ronnie raised her head, a small smile across her face, her daughter, a Mitchell, the thing she had dreamed about all her life. Their quiet moment was interrupted by the nurse who had spoken to Ronnie earlier.

"Ronnie,"

Her head jolted upwards so fast it caused a slight pain, her lips become poised and ears open as she prayed for good news about her little girl. She gracefully stood up and made her way over to the door, her bridesmaid dress trailing behind her. The nurse smiled at her, hushing her out of the room, her hand across Ronnie's shoulder.

"Danielle is just off for a CT scan, she has some cracked ribs, a broken arm and some bruising but no major internal damage, she's a very lucky girl. We are keeping her on some oxygen to monitor and help her breathing as well as some morphine to help with the pain. We are hoping to keep her in for a couple of days, possibly up to a week but it depends on how she responds to treatment. Have you got any questions?"

Ronnie listened intently to the nurse, hanging onto every word. Her head nodded as she heard her speak, just wanting to see Danielle, be there for her daughter like she should have always been. She didn't even realise the nurse had asked her a question as relief over came her at the news Danielle would be ok.

"When…when can I see her?"

"I just have to check with the doctor but I see no problem you seeing her after the CT scan,"

"Thank you," Ronnie smiled at the nurse her hand outstretched to the nurse's arm, "Really, thank you,"

Simply smiling, the nurse replied to Ronnie, "If you want anything, just call me, I'll just be over there," she indicated to a desk less than 50 meters away.

Ronnie smiled back before making her way back into the room, sighing loudly as she realised her nightmare had come to an end, Danielle was going to be fine. Swiftly, she made her way over to Roxy, her arms outstretched. Roxy immediately stood up, seeing the smile that had appeared across Ronnie's face.

"She's going to be fine, Rox, my baby, she's going to be fine," Ronnie nestled her head into the shoulder of her sister, she had never been so grateful to hear the words that had come out of the nurse's mouth, her baby, her daughter, her whole world was going to be back in her arms soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews! This is posted on special request of R and D fan ;) I hope you all enjoy it and please review, they made me happy! **

Time couldn't pass by faster enough for Ronnie as she sat patiently in the family room, her eyes glancing at the clock every few seconds. She could swear that time was stopping or simply going backwards, she just needed her baby, to hold her in her arms… she could picture the moment in her mind, everything would be perfect, Ronnie would comfort her daughter, Danielle would smile at her, she would smile back, tell her that she loved her… As she sat in her own little world, dreaming about what could be Roxy was pacing around the room, waiting for news about her niece. They had been joined by some other people, two women and a man as well as a handful of young children. The older one of the women was telling the young children to behave and stop messing around but they weren't paying any attention, getting louder as time passed. Roxy wished they would be quiet so she could concentrate on her niece, but in a way she was thankful to them for stopping her mind straying to what ifs.

"Why is it taking so long?" Ronnie snapped, she was desperate to see Danielle, desperate to make up for lost time. Roxy made her way over to her sister, hoping they didn't make a show in front of their now audience.

"I…I don't know Ronnie," She whispered hoping her sister wouldn't become too hysterical.

"She said she'd come and get me, so where is she?" Turning her head to face her sister, Roxy could see the tear stained cheeks and the sadness in her sister's eyes.

"I don't know Ron," Her voice becoming quiet, barely more than a whisper. She could tell the same thoughts were flying through her sister's head as were in hers, the dark thought's that something bad had happened to Danielle, to the girl who held both their hearts at this moment in time.

The time they remained in that position seemed to drag, as the whole night had done. It was now past midnight and early into the next morning before the nurse arrived back into the room. Ronnie, now both physically and emotionally exhausted, her energy levels draining, was trying but failing to keep her eyes open as they were slowly shutting. At seeing the nurse enter, her energy levels renewed at the thought of seeing her daughter once again.

"Ronnie," The nurse spoke softly, "I'm afraid Danielle's condition is much worse than we first thought,"

Ronnie felt her heart fall, as the smile disappeared from her face; she was terrified of losing Danielle again.

"The CT scan showed some swelling on the brain and her heart rate dramatically decreased causing her some major breathing problems. We have taken your daughter to intensive care where she is on a life support machine and the doctors up there are keeping an eye on her. I can take you up to see her now but it will only be for a short time before Danielle will be taken to theatre again to treat her broken arm,"

Ronnie slowly nodded her head, taking in every word that the nurse had said, she had been waiting for the words _your daughter is fine_ but as soon as the nurse started to speak, she knew she was been optimistic. As they walked down the corridor and up the stairs Ronnie was hoping Danielle didn't deteriorate any more before she got there, she couldn't bear not to be there and try and reduce the pain her daughter was feeling. They stopped outside a private room on the end of corridor F before been approached by two male doctors, who kindly informed Ronnie of the state Danielle was in and prepared her to see her daughter. They pushed the door open slowly as Ronnie cautiously made her way in, the machines supporting Danielle beeping slowly and consistently as Ronnie made her way over to the bedside, but even the doctors couldn't have warned Ronnie of the state Danielle was in.

She rushed over to her daughter's side, feeling the tears stinging her eyes at the image of her daughter lying so helplessly in the bed, her blonde hair spread across the pillow and the machines so painfully stabbed into Danielle's skin. The tubes around her face, the tubes jolting from her daughter's mouth and nose, were the most difficult for Ronnie to see as they covered her baby's face from her view, stopping her from memorising Danielle's features, memorising her daughter's face… Her right arm wrapped tightly in a bandage caused Ronnie to squirm, the pain her daughter had faced, all so evident and she hadn't been there to make it better. It was her job as a mother to make the pain disappear, evapourate from her child, but she had failed, failed to protect her daughter.

"Ca…Can I touch her?" Her voice soft and questioning as she turned to face the nurse stood at the doorway, her eyes reluctantly leaving her daughter. The reply was a simple nod before Ronnie turned back to face her daughter, the heart of all her love.

Her hand brushed across Danielle's warm face, brushing the hair from out of her eyes, and tracing her finger along her daughter's cheek bone, the soft gentle skin been on the receiving end of Ronnie's finger, caused Ronnie's whole body to tingle, to fill with love.

"I…I'm so sorry Danielle," Her voice quiet and loving, broke as she felt the tears stream down her face, "I'm so sorry,"

Her hand moved down to meet Danielle's which lay limply by her side, Ronnie's fingers gently brushing over Danielle's knuckles. She carefully untangled her baby's arm from the wires linking her to the machine and brought her daughter's hand up to her face, gently kissing it, never wanting to let go. She continued to speak, hoping that Danielle would find comfort from hearing her mother's voice,

"I…I should have been there, Danielle. I should have protected you, I love you more than anything Danielle, really I do, and I'm so, so sorry. Sorry for everything…" The endless stream of tears continued to fall down Ronnie's face, she felt so helpless, so useless, so drained, she just wanted Danielle.

The moments with her daughter flew by as Ronnie just watched Danielle, her eyes never leaving her daughter's face and hand never parting that of her daughter's. By simply just been there, Ronnie felt more loved and more full-filled that she had ever done in her whole life, ever since that day nearly twenty years ago when her heart had been filled and ripped away in less than three hours. So enticed in her daughter's love, she didn't even hear the nurse move closer to her,

"I'm afraid we have to prepare Danielle to go to theatre," The nurse sounded apologetic but Ronnie knew it was only her job, to feel sorry for families when they were at their most vulnerable.

Ronnie looked up, desperation etched across her face, she couldn't leave her baby, not now, they had only just been reunited.

"No…I can't. Please just a few more minutes…please…she's my daughter…my baby…"

"I'm sorry, but we need to take her to theatre as soon as possible and there's a theatre free now,"

"No…please!" Her voice was cracking as she thought of the possibility of losing her daughter once more. It couldn't happen. It just couldn't.

"I'm sorry, but we really need to prepare your daughter," the nurse said as she made her way over to Ronnie, attempting to remove mother from daughter. Ronnie didn't want to give up without a fight, as she struggled with the nurse, trying to fight back determined not to leave Danielle.

"No…please…Danielle…" A constant stream of tears continued to fall down Ronnie's face as she was removed from her daughter's room by the nurse.

"I'm sorry Ronnie, as soon as Danielle is ready to see you I'll come and get you from the family room. She's in safe hands,"

She placed her hands up against the window of her daughter's room, the blinds causing a barrier between her and the most precious thing in her life, desperate to catch a glimpse of her daughter; she was craving her daughter already, craving her gentle skin, her face… The tears dribbled down her face, how had everything come to this? How had she come so close but was still far away from her daughter, the one thing that truly mattered…

"Please, Danielle," The tears streamed down her face and her was barely audible, as her hand slipped down the glass pane and her head fell into her hands, "My baby,"


	6. Chapter 6

Her heart was slowly breaking at been so far away from Danielle, as Ronnie remained in the family room. The room where her worst fears had been realised and where she had spent so much time crying over the one thing that mattered to her, the one person who held her heart, her only child, her Danielle. She had told Roxy to leave, to get some rest and come back in a few hours, and despite been reluctant at first, Ronnie had soon persuaded her little sister to leave and now she was alone. Just like she had been for so long, without her daughter, without the love she held for her.

Tiredness was overcoming her as she remained seated in the comfortable chairs, but she couldn't sleep, not without knowing how Danielle was, her precious Danielle. It was now past three in the morning and Ronnie had been waiting for over two hours for news on her baby. She was scared that if she was apart from her daughter for too long she would forget her face, forget her smell, forget the way her hair fell…

Her mind drifted off to events in the past seven months, the time she had spent with her baby, the first time she had seen her. _I will look at her and know straight away. That's her. That's my Amy. _But she hadn't, she had caused her daughter pain, unimaginable pain, but how was she suppose to have known? Her baby was dead. _Dead and buried. _Her father had lied, lied to her and her daughter, kept them apart. _He's trying to keep us apart Ronnie, please I'm her. _The words echoed through her mind, Danielle's frightened face, her begging, the way she had just given up and then so coldly dismissed Ronnie. The trait, the one trait, Ronnie wished her daughter wouldn't inherit and she had, the ability to shut everyone out, to just shut down and not let anyone in. She couldn't blame Danielle though; she had hurt her daughter over and over again, said the cruelest things, and caused her daughter so much pain.

Then there was the abortion, the most painful memory of them all. She could hear Danielle's voice in her head, the scared, lonely teenager that Ronnie had so coldly left. _You told me that having that having your baby was the biggest mistake of your life, did you mean it? _And her reply, the reply she had cried over for so long, saying those awful words about her little Amy, her perfect angel. _Yes, yes I meant it. My life would have been much better if I'd had an abortion. _How could she have been so cruel? Her own flesh and blood, how could she? Betraying the memory of her dead daughter and causing more pain and breaking the heart of her living one. Her own heart was breaking at the thought of causing so much hurt, so much pain, so much rejection…

Her eyes were slowly closing, the temptation becoming too much. She needed to sleep…to rest her mind and body, to just forget…forget tonight's events…just forget every guilty memory in her mind…just dream of her perfect daughter, her perfect baby, her perfect Danielle… but she couldn't sleep, her mind was spinning, spinning with the thoughts of her darling daughter. What if she wakes up and I'm not there? The doubts were at the back of Ronnie's mind, as prominent as always. Even if Danielle didn't want her, she would fight for her daughter, fight to show her the love she had for her, to show her how much she cared and how much they needed each other.

It was another hour and a half until the nurse came back for Ronnie, who had given into her need for rest. Her eyes slowly prized themselves open as she felt someone's presence. When she realised it was the nurse she moved so fast, her head become light headed as she became slightly dazed, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was Danielle.

"How..How is she?" Her throat was dry and her voice coarse from the short sleep she had just endured.

The nurse smiled at Ronnie, she had seen caring parents in her time, but never one as caring as Veronica Mitchell. Danielle was obviously a very lucky and much loved girl. "Her arms in plaster and her broken ribs will hopefully fix themselves. Her breathing has become more stable so we have taken her off the life support machine. She's a bit groggy and tired from the anesthetic but otherwise your daughter should be fine,"

"What about the swelling?" Folding her arms, Ronnie paid extensive attention to every word that the nurse spoke, that left her mouth.

"We have kept Danielle on some oxygen and IV drips to help reduce the swelling and we are going to keep an eye on her over the next few days but it looks like there is no lasting damage,"

Ronnie let out a sigh she didn't even realise she was holding, her baby was going to be fine, the news she had waited almost twenty years for. She couldn't thank the nurse enough.

"I can take you to see Danielle now…"

The elation that spread across her face was too much for Ronnie to handle as a few stray tears fell from her eyes. She nodded at the nurse before following her once again to see her baby, Danielle. Before she was allowed in, the nurse briefed Ronnie on the condition of her daughter, _don't press her too much for answers on how she is feeling, she's unlikely to know herself. She will be very tired from the anesthetic so she will probably just want to rest. _Ronnie nodded and listened intently to every word, desperate to show she was a good mother, she was capable of looking after her daughter.

"Danielle," her voice was calm and quiet as she entered the room, a wide smile across her face as she saw the wide eyes of Danielle staring back, the oxygen mask obscuring part of her face, "Danielle, baby, it's me…"

Her heart sank as Danielle closed her eyes, unable to maintain eye contact with the heart of all her pain, but yet remained in a position facing Ronnie. Ronnie wasn't giving up; Danielle needed to know the truth, needed to know how much she loved her. She moved over to the bedside, adjusting a chair so she was facing her daughter. She slowly reached out, her hand brushing against that of her daughters, which lay by her side.

Danielle flinched at her mother's touch, unsure of how to react. She had caused this pain, the pain that was evident across Ronnie's tear stained face, it was all her fault. She wanted more than anything to be in Ronnie's arms, for all the pain to evaporate and leave her, to simply just be loved, but too much was holding her back, too many memories were holding her back. She wasn't sure if she would be able to cope maintaining a relationship with Ronnie, too many words had been exchanged and shouted, too much hurt.

"I…" Words failed her as tears escaped from Ronnie's eyes; she had to make sure Danielle knew that she was her baby, her perfect angel, and that she hadn't meant any of the cruel words that had left her mouth. "I…I'm so sorry Danielle, so, so sorry. If I'd have known Danielle, if you'd have told me, I would have spent every second of every day with you, I would have been there for you, please Danielle. You have to know, you are everything to me, everything… I have waited my whole life for this…for you. I never wanted to give you up Danielle, never, I've loved you since the day you were born, ever since I first held you, you were perfect, you _are_ perfect. Please Danielle, you have to know, you are everything to me."

The room fell silent as Ronnie stopped talking; only the machines could be heard. Danielle was sure Ronnie would leave, the cold behaviour she was showing to her mother was enough for anyone to leave, especially Ronnie. But the words she had just spoken, floated through Danielle's body, the most perfect words anyone could say. The tears streamed down her face at the thought of her mother really wanting her, finally accepting her, finally wanting them to be mother and daughter.

She slowly opened her eyes, summoning only enough energy to do so, and came face to face with her mother once more. The love on her face was something Danielle had never seen, it was so warm, so inviting. Ronnie looked adoringly at her daughter, filling with love at the sight of her, and smiled. Danielle wasn't ready for all of this, she had been hurt, hurt badly but she just wanted the pain to disappear for a moment, just have a moment where she could forget all the pain and just bask in the love her mother was showing her. The faint smile across Danielle's face was enough to form tears in her mother's eyes as she felt a small squeeze from Danielle's fingers, which were wrapped around her hand, just like she had done all those years ago. Ronnie knew now, this was home, she and her daughter were finally reunited.


	7. Chapter 7

Her eyes hadn't left her daughter for the past four hours despite her body's cries for sleep, the realisation of having her daughter, actually having her in front of her caused Ronnie's stomach to do somersaults, to feel excited, ful-filled and so motherley. She had felt Danielle's fingers weaken around her fingers as she had fallen asleep but Ronnie had kept her hand in the exact position not wanting to remove all contact from her daughter. She couldn't believe she was here, it all felt so unreal, that here she was, a mother; Danielle's mother. She felt her eyelids becoming heavy so gently closed them – just for a minute, not wanting to miss any second of her newfound daughter's life.

She wanted more than anything to take Danielle in her arm's and never let her go; she had dreamed about this moment for as long as she could remember, but yet after seeing the fragile state her daughter was in before Ronnie didn't dare risk it. Unforgivable pain had been caused and she knew, knew deep down that she had caused it, and inflicted it upon her daughter, the cruel treatment of this shy teenager, her shy teenager. She was hoping that they would be able to talk when Danielle awoke, Ronnie had a speech mapped out in her head and a script of how everything would go, and Danielle would forgive her and be back in her arms once more; everything would be perfect.

Her eyes peeled themselves open as she felt the gentle stir of Danielle's arm and the soft, quiet cough escaping from her daughter's mouth. She felt a renewed sense of energy as she saw the eyes of Danielle flutter open before gently shutting and reopening again. Ronnie breathed heavily preparing herself for the questions she may have to answer, the pain she would have to explain. She smiled as she saw the fixation of Danielle's eyes upon her face, as if studying it, just like Ronnie had done whilst Danielle had slept. The moment was broken by the nurse entering the room, pushing in a trolley.

"Morning Danielle, did you sleep well?" The nurse questioned as she walked over to the right side of the bed, giving Ronnie a small nod. Danielle replied with a small nod of her head, the oxygen mask still covering her mouth. "Good, I'm just going to change the IV drip hopefully it shouldn't be too painful but I'll be gentle as I can," She gave Danielle a small smile before looking in the trolley for a new needle.

Danielle looked around the room, anything to keep her eyes off needles and the tubes been inserted into her arm, into her veins; she hated them. She was trying her best not to tense her arm up, hoping it would be less painful but needles were needles and they hurt. She turned her eyes to Ronnie, desperate for her mum to take the pain away, for her to make it stop as she felt the nurse remove her previous IV drip. The pleading eyes were too much for Ronnie as she grabbed hold of Danielle's hand bringing it close to her face. She didn't care in that exact moment whether it was the right thing to do, whether it was what Danielle wanted; she could see the pain etched across her face and it was her job, her job as Danielle's mother, to get rid of it. Her eyes followed the nurse, the woman causing pain to her precious baby, as she stabbed the needle into Danielle's skin, her daughter's hand flinching at the point of contact.

It was too much for Ronnie, her daughter was in pain and try as she could she couldn't get rid of it. So she raised herself off her seat, where she had spent the past however many hours, and rushed to her daughter's bedside, their hands still connected. She brushed Danielle's hair out of her face and gently stared caressing her daughter's face, her fingers sweeping across her check before whispering into Danielle's ear,

"It's ok Danielle, I'm here now, its ok sweetie," She felt the small squeeze of Danielle's hand still wrapped in her own, and a faint smile appear across her daughter's face as Ronnie's heart fluttered, the relationship she had craved for so long was finally starting to materialise, to become real with the precious girl in front of her. Danielle slowly closed her eyes as she felt the removal of the needle, as she felt the pressure to look at Ronnie in the 'right way' becoming too much.

The thoughts were flying around Danielle's head; the words she had heard Ronnie speak were soft and motherly, calm and cool, not like the Ronnie Danielle knew. Maybe she had changed, maybe she really did want Danielle or maybe she was just trying to let Danielle down gently… Danielle wanted her actions to be perfect, for the right words to leave her mouth, for the smiles and laughs to come at the right time, to just be the perfect child Ronnie wanted, hoping to make sure she didn't get rejected once again.

Reluctantly, Ronnie let her hands drift away from her daughter's face as the nurse packed up but yet her eyes never strayed from her daughter's face. She had seen Danielle close her eyes as soon as she started to speak, the rejection cutting through her heart, she had hoped she was comforting Danielle but obviously not, maybe she was just causing more pain to her precious baby. She wasn't going to give up though, she needed Danielle to know, to know how much she loved her, how she had longed for her daughter every day, how she had thought of nothing else.

The nurse gently propped up the pillows behind Danielle, as she leant forward allowing the nurse to adjust them before leaning back on them, moving herself around slightly until she was comfortable.

"The doctor will be coming in to check on your arm and how you are within the next ten minutes; I'm just outside if you need me." The nurse spoke as she wheeled the trolley out of the room, looking at the mother and daughter sat quite uncomfortably together. Ronnie gratefully smiled at her as she left the room, before turning her attention back to her daughter; not quite knowing what to say or do. Her maternal instinct had taken over moments previously but she had to accept that it might not be what Danielle wanted; she might want to take everything slow or not do anything at all. However, she smiled at Danielle as their eyes connected, and she would swear that she saw a small smile fade across Danielle's face.

Danielle remained looking into her mother's eyes, for minutes after the nurse had left, and however much she tried to make them stray they wouldn't; they were fixated upon Ronnie's face, imprinting the features on her mind. Ronnie allowed Danielle to study her, shifting uncomfortably in her chair, wishing her daughter could see her in a more relaxed state, looking better than she did at the moment. Her hair was scruffily tied up in a bun at the back of her head, her dress dirty and with rips evident on the fabric and traces of black mascara down her check where her tears had removed it from her eyelashes. She hadn't had time to clean her face, to give it a wash, and she didn't want to leave Danielle know, not alone whilst she was awake.

The silence was broken by Ronnie posing a question to Danielle, "How are you feeling sw…Danielle?" However she immediately felt stupidly guilty for asking a question her daughter couldn't answer, the oxygen mask still present around her mouth preventing words from leaving Danielle's mouth, from allowing her daughter to speak.

As Danielle pondered over how to answer the question, what actions to use, the door flung open and a doctor casually walked in, pulling up a chair to sit next to Ronnie.

"Hi Danielle, I'm Doctor Gateshead. Are you feeling ok this morning?" He questioned whilst Danielle nodded, "Are you a relative?" Slightly weary of the woman sat next to him, his attention turned to Ronnie, wondering why this woman was sat here at ridiculously early hours of the morning, visiting hours didn't start until nine.

"Yes, yes, I'm…I'm her mum," Ronnie nervously replied, unsure of how much information to give out, of how much information Danielle wanted her to give out.

He nodded slowly as her eyes drifted back to Danielle's, "And are you ok with her been here whilst we have a chat Danielle?"

Apprehensively, Danielle nodded her eyes never straying to meet those of Ronnie, keeping them focused on the doctor in front of her. Having Ronnie by her side, could make everything easier, help take some of the pain away, but it could also make things harder, make things harder to admit, cause more hurt and pain. She was so confused at the moment that nothing made sense, everything was jumbled up in her head, making it ache.

"Ok Danielle. Well you suffered some very serious bruising to your chest and head, and some broken ribs. You broke the radius bone in your left arm," He explained Danielle's condition to her slowly whilst flicking through the pages of notes, fastened onto a clipboard, perched on his knee, allowing her to take in every word he spoke, "As you can see we put that in plaster and it should start to heal itself. You may feel some discomfort in it but that is normal so don't worry. As for the swelling on your brain, we are controlling that by the IV drips and the oxygen. We are going to keep you in for the next few days to keep an eye on your condition but I don't see any problem in you being discharged by, lets say next Friday,"

Danielle listened intently to the words he spoke, desperate to not let her mind stray to her mother. She stole a glance at Ronnie whilst he was speaking to see her too engrossed in what he was saying, her hand still lying outstretched on the bed, her fingers forming themselves into a fist before relaxing once more.

"You can take your oxygen mask off to talk and drink, but only for short times and if you start to feel light headed or sick, then pop it straight back on and you won't be able to have any food for the next 12 hours, so lets hope you had a big meal yesterday!" He joked, a small smile bracing his face. Danielle too let a small smile grace her face but it quickly vanished when she remembered yesterday's events. Concerned, Ronnie turned her head to face her daughter, knowing full well that yesterday's events were playing on both their minds.

The doctor finished, directing his eye contact at both blonde women sat in close proximity to him, "Oh, and I'm afraid the police are wanting to speak to you both - separately, at some point in the next hour,"


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for all the reviews; they really do make me happy! Hope you enjoy it and please review!**

The police. The police wanted to speak to them. To speak to them both. Danielle felt physically sick as she repeated the doctor's words in her mind. Why did the police want to speak to her? Her mind was patchy from last night, great black holes filling the times when she couldn't remember. She remembered every word shouted in the Vic, every hatred glance been exchanged from Ronnie, and the humiliation she had felt – her whole body flushing with hurt at the simply thought of it, but then everything went blank, as if her mind had been wiped, a blank canvas replacing it. She could vaguely remember some lights, and some screaming, and people asking her if she could hear them but other than that, nothing.

She sat, confused, on the hospital bed feeling very vulnerable and open in the flimsy hospital gown, twiddling her fingers. Neither woman spoke, not knowing what to say or how to address the situation but Danielle felt comfortable like this, no arguing, no pressure, no awkward moments and no explaining; everything was calm and sincere. They remained in this situation for the next ten minutes, each stealing glances of one another when they thought the other wasn't looking. A few times, they had simultaneously looked at each other, their eyes parting as both their checks flushed with embarrassment, their heads turning away.

The doctor reappeared again, gently pushing open the door to the private room on the end, to unveil four members of authority; two uniformed police officers and two, plain clothed, female inspectors.

"Danielle Jones?" The older of the woman questioned as all four of them entered the room. Cautiously, Danielle nodded before placing her hand on top of Ronnie's still extended arm, on the bed, the nerves getting the better of her. Ronnie felt the gently touch of Danielle's skin upon hers sending waves of love through her body, every bone tingling, her fingers wrapping around those of Danielle, offering comfort to her daughter. "I'm DCI Mann and this is DCI Pearson," She said indicating to the woman on her left, "We are here to ask you and your mum some questions,"

"Mrs Jones? If you'd like to come with me, we will question you both separately," DCI Pearson indicated to the door,

"It's Miss, Miss Mitchell," Ronnie spoke softly, her voice coarse and slightly afraid. She had that feeling in the pit of her stomach that you get when a police officer passes you, the instant feeling of guilt even though you have done nothing wrong, or the feeling off been at an airport and instantly feeling nervous as security. The woman nodded, as if everything had just clicked into place – her eyes meeting with DCI Pearson as they exchanged a knowing nod, "And I'd like to stay with Danielle, please?" Ronnie requested as she turned to face Danielle, a smile placed across her face. Danielle, however, had her head facing forward and only caught Ronnie's smile in her peripheral vision, which of course Ronnie didn't notice.

"I'm afraid that you can't Miss Mitchell. You are both witnesses to a hit and run, and we need to take both your statements," DCI Pearson once again indicated towards the door, as Ronnie reluctantly raised herself off her seat and parted her hands from that of Danielle's, reluctantly. Unsure of what to do, whether to say anything to Danielle, to give her a kiss or a hug, to just go, Ronnie wavered around the bedside, her arms hung by her side. Eventually, she simply turned to smile at her daughter before been escorted out of the room by the DCI and one of the uniformed police officers.

DCI Mann sat down on the now vacant chair next to Danielle whilst the other male police officer stood guard at the door. Danielle raised her hands to her head, gently trying to remove the oxygen mask from her face; the wires become slightly tangled as she did so. "Hi Danielle, how are you feeling?" The DCI questioned, her voice soft and warm, not putting on ounce of pressure on Danielle.

A soft cough left her mouth as Danielle spoke, her voice coarse and raw from the lack of fluids she had consumed, "I'm ok, thanks"

"You know why we are here, yes? You were involved in a car crash last night; we believe it was a hit and run but we just want to clear a few things up, ok. Do you think you could tell us what you did last night?"

***

A room further down the hall, Ronnie sat impatiently, her arms crossed, whilst studying the woman in front of her, her eyes narrowing as she though about Danielle and how this woman was separating them, keeping them apart, once again. The police officer sat down next to the DCI, as they both got ready for questioning the blonde woman in front of them.

"Can you tell me where you were at 8.30pm last night Miss Mitchell?"

"I, I was at the Vic. It was my father's wedding and the reception was been held there," Ronnie replied, speaking slowly and thinking carefully about her answer; not wanting to get accused of something which she hadn't done. She hadn't quite imagined spending today quite like this; the whole night she had been dreaming, wishing even, that she and Danielle would be able to talk and everything would sort itself out, they would be together again, reunited and happy – not that she would be interrogated by police officers.

"And after? When Danielle got hit?"

"We, we had a fight and she ran off. I followed her and heard the car hit her," Ronnie squirmed in her seat as she remember last night's events, the piercing, blood chilling scream echoing in her mind that caused all of her bones to feel ice cold. "It was my dad, I saw him get out of the car. Archie Mitchell, that's who hit my daughter,"

"But you didn't actually see him hit her did you Miss Mitchell?" Ronnie's response was slow and delayed as she ran her fingers through her hair, knowing full well that it was Archie who had mown Danielle down and almost caused her to die. "Well…no,"

"But then how can you be sure it was him?" DCI Mann continued pressing Ronnie, the story she was been told didn't quite match up with the information the residents of Albert Square had previously told her. "You see Miss Mitchell, my problem is that we have been told that you and Danielle had more than a fight, you almost threw her out didn't you? And nobody was around after 8.45pm to witness you running after Danielle, which leads me to wonder what exactly happened and whether your dad did run over Danielle as you claim,"

Ronnie was gob smacked at the words she had just encountered; did they seriously think that Ronnie had run over her own daughter, caused her so much pain just after they had been reunited, how could they even think she would do that to her precious baby Danielle? Her mouth remained ajar and her mind ran into overload as she processed everything that had been said again and again, "You think…you think I ran over my own daughter?" she stuttered.

***

Danielle remained on her bed, the fingers been twisted in-between the others as she opened up slowly to DCI Pearson; her only wish was that Ronnie could be there with her to help her get through this, the questioning becoming yet another burden on Danielle's already compacted mind. They had already talked about the events in the Vic, the shouting, the hatred, and the manipulation of Archie Mitchell; Danielle only revealing restricted, and short pieces of information about the exchanges, not wanting to rake over and over them again and increase her pain even further.

"So after you left the Vic, where did you go?" Her voice had remained calm and soft throughout the whole interrogation, as she could clearly see the teenager in front of her was distressed and upset. It wasn't her job to get involved but she wanted to get to the bottom of this matter; to solve it and get justice for Danielle. She saw the confusion appear across Danielle's face and the nerves spread up her body, so she generously reached out a hand and placed it on top of Danielle's, "It's ok, take your time,"

"I…I," Struggling to find the memory stuck inside her mind, Danielle fell over her words; feeling guilty that she couldn't even remember a stupid time phase of the night before; Ronnie had been right, she was pathetic. "I can't remember," She admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper, as she felt a few tears escape from her eyes, softly falling down her face.

"It's ok Danielle, you're doing really well," DCI Mann smiled at Danielle, encouraging her that she was doing well as she wrote down on the paper, positioned on her lap, everything that Danielle had said. "Can you remember anything? Anything at all?"

Danielle closed her eyes, trying to stop more tears from leaving her eyes, she managed to reply, although her memory was still hazy, "I…I remember some screams and some lights, and some shouting,"

"That's good Danielle," She scribbled it down before raising her head to look at the young girl again, gently rubbing her thumb over her fingers, encouraging her to open up, to place trust in her, "Can you remember who was shouting?"

Danielle shook her head, her reply stuttered and slow, "I…I think it was a man, and my…my…Ronnie. I think it was a man and Ronnie…but I don't know,"

"Ok thank you Danielle, you've done really well," She smiled at Danielle, whose lips gently turned upwards to form a small smile, "We will get back to you when we have some more information but for now just focus on getting better ok? Your mum should be back soon but I'll leave you alone for now so you can get some rest,"

Danielle watched as she left the room, glad to have some time to herself for a while, to just try and forget everything and not have extra pressure installed on her to do or say the right thing. However, as much as she tried to rid her mind of Ronnie for just a moment, it didn't happen, it wouldn't happen. She couldn't get the image of Ronnie shouting at her out of her mind, the bad memories overpowering the caring side to Ronnie she had witnessed, oh how she wished things would be easy…

***

"So Miss Mitchell? Are you going to tell us exactly what happened last night?"

Ronnie braced herself for the pain she was about to release, for her emotions to just spill out to this stranger in front of her, for everything to just leave her body. She sighed heavily before speaking, "It was my dad's wedding. We were having a bit of a party at the Vic to celebrate and Danielle came in, I shouted at her and said some things I shouldn't have done and then it…it sorted it's self out and we were fine. My sister, Roxy, told everyone to leave, so they did and it was just me and Danielle,"

A few stray tears leaked from her eyes and slowly ran down her face; she had no idea why she was opening up this easily but she wasn't been accused of running over her own daughter, how could they even think that? She loved Danielle more than anything; she was the most important thing in her life, the most precious object, the best thing that had ever happened to her.

"She ran out, upset and then I followed her and heard the car hit her. I…I ran over and my dad was there, holding her, so I rang an ambulance and then…then we came here," Ronnie recalled, her voice filled with venom at the sheer mention of her father. "I didn't hit her, she's my daughter. Why would I hit her?"

"We do see cases where parents do things in a fit of rage Miss Mitchell," DCI Pearson explained as she continued to write down everything Ronnie said, and also commented on her actions.

"Well that's not me! I love Danielle." Ronnie protested as she ran her fingers over the chains of the lockets, tangled in her bridesmaid dress pocket, feeling a small sense of comfort in doing so.

DCI Pearson shuffled some papers in her hands before 'aahhing' when she found the one she wanted. She ran her finger along the paper, skimming over the black printed words on it, "We have a witness statement here suggesting that you were very angry at the wedding reception, shouting abuse at your daughter, please can you explain this?"


	9. Chapter 9

**I just want to say a big sorry for taking so long updating this story, I was planning on updating it earlier this week but I've had so much work and not had any time to do anything. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Ronnie couldn't believe what the police had just told her, _in the interests of the victim, we would like you to stay away from her whilst we do some investigating. _She's my daughter, why are they keeping her from me? Why can't I see her? Comfort her like I should be doing and should have always done? Ronnie had protested, claimed that Danielle needed her and that keeping them apart was doing them more damage. _We have the interests of the victim as our main priority. If you did try and kill her then we don't you to cause any more pain to her, especially when she is in such a vulnerable state. When the investigation is closing and we find the driver then you can see Danielle again, as long as you were not involved. If you refuse to cooperate Miss Mitchell, we will have to formally arrest you. _The DCI felt harsh saying those words but it was true – there had been cases when a family member had failed to take the life of a relative and when given another opportunity, they had succeeded, only the other week had they solved a murder case where a father had brutally stabbed his own daughter.

Ronnie sat in the family room, staring at the posters which she had memorized last night; this situation feeling all too similar to her. She was here, alone and her daughter was alone only a few meters up the corridor. She had insisted that she stay at the hospital and remain there for any further information regarding Danielle and DCI Pearson had agreed, as long as a uniformed officer accompany her to make sure that she didn't visit Danielle. They had passed her room on the way, Ronnie placing a hand up against the window, and despite the blinds been shut, she had instantly felt the hurt and rejection coming from Danielle. She had let her daughter down again, and was hurting her all over again, almost been forced to reject her. She had been quickly escorted away but had felt a faint connection with her daughter, as she had been forcefully sat down.

Her mind was at a loss of what to do; her heart knew what she wanted to do but she had to let her head rule this time. The small amount of time she had shared with her daughter over the past few hours had meant everything to her. In her mind, before she had found out the truth, she had said to herself, if only for a few minutes, a few hours, I could see my daughter, talk to her then my life would be complete. But now, now she was feeling greedy, she wanted all the time in the world with her daughter, never losing a precious second without her again, she _needed _her, like her daughter was her source of oxygen and without her, her life would spiral into nothing, she would become non existent. It was ridiculous how much power this one person, this one girl, had over Ronnie, but to Ronnie, Danielle was her little girl, her rock, the daughter she had longed for.

"Ca…can I use the phone?" she requested after been sat in silence for the past half an hour, her thoughts becoming too much for her to handle, her hand indicating to the phone on the adjacent wall to the door. Thirty minutes. Half an hour. Time that had been wasted, time she could have spent with her daughter, spent getting to know her but instead they were so close, so close to spending that time together, but yet, they were still so far away. She received a nod and she quickly ran to the phone, inserting some loose change she had been fiddling with in her pocket, and pressing the numbers hard whilst praying her sister would pick up. Her prayers were answered after only the first ring,

"Rox?"

"Ronnie? How's Danielle?" Roxy questioned as she attempted to support Amy in one arm and the phone in another.

"Roxy, please come to the hospital," Ronnie begged, her sister been the only way she would be able to tell Danielle what was happening.

"Why Ron? What's wrong?" Roxy worried, her concern echoing through the phone as she gently bounced Amy up and down to the sound of her gurgling.

"Just come here _now_ Roxy," she stressed, "and don't bring Amy. I'll explain…" Ronnie sighed as the phone hung up; _please insert the correct amount, _ringing through her ears. She slowly made her way back to her seat, her mind drifting back to how her daughter must be feeling. She had let her down, she had promised she would never leave and would always be there, and she wasn't. She felt ashamed, ashamed to call herself Danielle's mum – Danielle deserved so much better, so much more. She was worrying that she would forget what her daughter looked like; she had only studied her when she had slept, not yet knowing her daughter's mannerisms, her fears, the proud moments. If only she had paid more attention before; why hadn't she noticed?!

She sat there for a further twenty minutes, raking over and over the past moments she had spent unknowingly with her daughter, every smile she had seen Danielle smile, every word she had spoken, the trust she had placed in Ronnie and the times when, looking back, she had realised that Danielle had tried to tell her. There was the time, only last week, when Danielle had sat on the coffee table in the Vic, whilst Ronnie had cradled Amy, and spoke slowly to Ronnie but never got to finish her sentence as Roxy had rung. All the signs were there, why hadn't Ronnie realised?!

Roxy burst in through the doors, following her instinct on where to go, on the location of her sister. Her hair had been scraped back, and she wore some comfy tracksuit bottoms and a hoody, make up barely visible on her face. "Ronnie?" she cried out as she scanned her eyes across the room, her eyes connecting with those of her sister and narrowing as she saw the policeman.

Ronnie immediately stood up, embracing her sister in a tight hug, feeling comfort from the simple human contact. They pulled apart as Roxy witnessed the tear stained cheeks of her sister and gently questioned her, not wanting to cause any more pain. Her sister had been hurt enough.

"What's wrong Ronnie? What's happened?" Roxy gently pressed, as she ran the ends of her sisters now messily hair, lying on her shoulders, through her fingers.

Tightly shutting her eyes, Ronnie slowly spoke, the emotion of being parted from her daughter running through her voice, "They think…they think I hit her Rox, they think I hit my little girl," She prized her eyes open, staring into her sisters blue eyes, "But I didn't…I wouldn't, I love her Rox,"

The tears began spurting out of her eyes, slowly making their way down her face, her heart crippling in pain as she let her mind drift back to her baby, the look of hurt and rejection she had seen when she had almost thrown her out, but then feeling the gentle touch of Danielle's hand wrap around hers, earlier this morning.

"They are keeping us apart Rox, just like h…he did. Will you, please, will you go and sit with her?" Ronnie begged as she tried to explain herself, her sister not daring to speak a word as she heard Ronnie's desperate pleas echoing through her mind.

"Yes, yes of course Ron," Roxy managed as she felt a lump lodge in her throat, seeing her sister in this state was hard, really hard for Roxy to witness. It was slowly breaking her heart, Ronnie had found her daughter but they were still being kept apart, she couldn't imagine how her niece or sister was feeling.

"Thank you," Ronnie whispered as she let a small smile form across her face, as she pulled her sister into a hug, her bridesmaid dress become slightly tangled between the two of them, "Tell her Rox, please. Tell her why I can't see her, tell her how much I love her and that I didn't want to leave, make her understand, please,"

Ronnie couldn't bear Danielle thinking that she had, once again, abandoned her. She needed Danielle to understand, to know that she had meant the things she had said last night and that she really was never going to leave her, not again.


	10. Chapter 10

Danielle had laid there for an unknown time; there were no clocks in the room and she didn't have her phone, she guessed it had been almost an hour. The DCI had definitely said that Ronnie would be back soon, and she hadn't. Her interview surely can't take that long can it?! The time alone though, had become a comfort to Danielle, letting her gather her thoughts and think freely about the last twenty four hours. Of course Ronnie had hurt her, hurt her beyond imagination, the pain and cruel words still in the forefront of her mind, but she was her mum; the woman she had longed for, had wanted for so long, had loved, and still loves, with all her heart.

Her arm was causing her some uncomfort and try as she could; she just couldn't get comfy in the hospital bed, the flimsy hospital gown making her feel open and dirty, it wasn't her own clothes, some clothes that people had potentially died in. She slowly closed her eyes, as she tried to drift her thoughts away from everything; she just wanted to lie there and have a blank mind, enabling everything to just be easier. She sighed loudly, as she snuggled down into the bed sheets, attempting to wrap them around herself, as her thoughts once again drifted back to Ronnie.

She had loved her mother ever since she had found out she was adopted, she wasn't sure why or how but she had. The thought that there was this woman out there who might actually want her; another mum, another person to turn to. She had had the urge to go out and find this woman as soon as the locket was in her possession, the desire to find this young woman who looked no older than a teenager in the photo and let her know who she was. She was part of Danielle's life, part of her identity, part of her past and nothing or nobody could take that away; Danielle had known she had to find her mum.

But then when she had, she hadn't imagined her to be quite so young, to be so beautiful, so sophisticated, and so _untouchable. _She had a life without Danielle, a great life without her; not once had Danielle seen her cry. As time passed, it got harder for her to tell Ronnie, to inform her who she was, and then when Ronnie told her that getting rid of her daughter had been the best thing that ever happened to her, that not having an abortion was her biggest mistake; Danielle knew she couldn't tell her. What was she suppose to say?! Danielle felt tears of rage and frustration form in her eyes, how could she have been so naïve but how could her mum, her own mother who was biologically programmed to love her, have been so cruel.

Then there was last night, when Danielle had in promptly informed the whole of Walford who she was, not taking a care in the world over who heard and what people said. She had been invincible, if only for a moment; she was going to find out why Ronnie hated her and then she was going to leave, to reject Ronnie like Ronnie had rejected her time and time again. Only Danielle hadn't known that Archie had been lying, that Ronnie still had no idea who she was. She had felt her whole world crumble around her as she realised the truth, the sad but true fact that Ronnie had no idea, and then she had been rejected, rejected and humiliated in front of everyone she knew. Danielle felt her heart rate increase as she thought of the prospect of facing these people once again, she wasn't strong enough for it, she needed her mum, however much it pained her to admit it, she needed Ronnie.

The words she had heard Ronnie speak earlier this morning had been a light in a darkened life for Danielle; knowing that maybe her mother did want to know. _Sorry. _Ronnie had said it so many times, it was just a word, just a word to Danielle but hearing it from Ronnie was something different - it held a different meaning. Ronnie Mitchell never said sorry to somebody like Danielle, she never spoke with so much emotion in her words, so much sorrow and regret. She wanted her heart to rule her head, to let Ronnie smother her with love, with joy, but her head was ruling her heart at this exact moment, the sensible option of taking everything as it comes.

As Danielle fidgeted around in her bed, a small squeak escaped from the door, as the handle was pushed down and the sound of somebody entering the room filled Danielle's ears. She slowly opened her eyes, adjusting them to the light, and saw a blonde figure making her way over to the bedside. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the light as the woman sat down, her musky smell getting stuck in Danielle's nostrils. Danielle sat confused, that wasn't Ronnie's smell. That must mean that the woman wasn't Ronnie?! Who was it then? Danielle wasn't expecting any visitors, she kind of expected that she was going to get any, except maybe Stacey…

Roxy sat for a short time, just studying her niece's actions – her eyes slowly opening and become accustomed to the light. She smiled as she saw Danielle's eyes fixate on hers, before speaking, her voice soft and quiet, "Hey," She watched as Danielle attempted to sit up, her eyes never leaving Roxy's face, "Let me help," Roxy offered as she stood up and plumped up the cushions behind Danielle and slowly raised her up, taking care with the plastered arm.

Danielle smiled gratefully at Roxy, her aunt, as she moved back into the pillows, her mind at a loss of why her aunt was here and not her mother. It was nice though, to have some company, that wasn't as intimidating as her mum, the glaring blue eyes that hadn't left Danielle for the time she had been there had made Danielle feel self conscious, uncomfortable, worried that she wasn't enough for her mum. She carefully removed her oxygen mask from her face and placed it on the pillow next to her, her attention turning to Roxy.

"How are you feeling Dani?" Roxy questioned as she sat in awe at the young woman in front of her, only yesterday this girl was only Danielle but now she was Danielle, her _niece, _Danielle – Ronnie's daughter. She had become family overnight. She brought her hands together on her lap, resisting the urge to touch the young girl, to smoother her in love and closeness.

"I'm ok," Danielle spoke quietly, her voice getting used to be used again. She hadn't realised it but she hadn't spoken a word to anyone, except the DCI, since yesterday and her throat was paying for it. She couldn't contain eye contact any longer as she pulled her eyes from Roxy's and moved them to focus on her hands, gently studying the chipped nail polish coating her fingernails. The next few moments were filled with an eerie silence, neither women daring to speak – the tension building as time went on, before Danielle slowly spoke,

"Where…where's Ronnie?"

Roxy felt her heart fall at Danielle's small timid question, a little girl wanting her mum. She breathed heavily, the task of trying to explain burdening heavily on her mind.

"Danielle…I know it might be hard to understand, but Ronnie…she had to," The news was broken softly and was a gentle blow to Danielle, who at hearing the words Roxy was speaking, quickly cut her off before she had chance to finish, to fully explain.

"She's gone, hasn't she?" Danielle quietly asked, bowing her head, feeling defeated, scared and alone. _It might be hard to understand, but Ronnie had to…_ There was nothing hard to understand for Danielle; her mother had left her, again, and sent her sister in to break the news gently. Danielle let out a little sniffle, she didn't know why she even expected anything different, this was Ronnie Mitchell. She would never change.

"No, Danielle…" Roxy softly spoke, reaching out her hand to brush against her nieces, as an offer of comfort. She knew Ronnie had hurt her daughter badly, but she didn't know the extent to the pain she had caused. Danielle gently flinched at her aunt's touch, not used to getting so close to her family, her relatives. It was normal her reaching out to them, not them comforting her; it was all so unreal.

Danielle once again interrupted Roxy before she had chance to speak, she couldn't hear the words she was expecting, she just couldn't. The rejection would cut through her heart like a knife and it would shatter even further, the pain would be excruciating, "It's ok Roxy," Danielle spoke louder, trying to sound more confident, more 'Mitchell like' "I…I didn't expect her to stay, she has a life without me…" Try as she could, she couldn't disguise her voice breaking at the end of her sentence, as she felt her eyes well up with tears, all she wanted was for Ronnie to accept her, to want her, to love her.

Roxy leant in closer to her niece, desperate to comfort her and not to make her cry. She had promised Ronnie she would look after her and that's what she was going to do. "Danielle, she wanted to stay but…" Roxy breathed heavily, her eyes attempting to connect with her nieces but failing; Danielle was avoiding all eye contact, looking everywhere but at Roxy, the pain evident across her young face, "The police think Ronnie was driving the car that hit you Danielle,"

Danielle slowly turned her head, her puzzling face and confused eyes meeting with Roxy's. "What?" She quietly questioned, Ronnie driving the car?! She wasn't, she wouldn't…

"I know its hard Danielle, but that's what they think. They won't let her see you, she wants to, but they won't allow it. She's waiting in the family room, and I came to give you some company," Roxy slowly explained as she wrapped her hand around Danielle's gently soothing her thumb across Danielle's knuckles, whilst smiling at her niece. "She loves you, you know. You mean everything to her,"

"I don't…she doesn't…" Danielle slowly spoke, her voice breaking as she did, dragging her eyes from her aunts, not daring to look her in the eye, she couldn't believe her. They were just words, words that Roxy could have made up; Ronnie needed to prove she was there for Danielle, that she really wanted her; she had to try and abolish all those bad memories from her daughter's head. That's what Danielle wanted, that's what she needed her mum to do.

Roxy nodded her head, trying to understand her niece's thoughts and feelings, she wanted to get inside her head, make everything simple and just reunite her sister and Danielle, they needed each other. "I understand Danielle, I do," She said as she met her eyes with hers, gently trying to encourage her to open up, "But you mean everything to Ronnie, you're her little girl…"

"How can you understand?" Danielle softly questioned as she raised her head, gently moving her arm to keep the blood supply moving, "You don't know what she said…how she treated me," Danielle's voice lowered, the tears on verge of spilling but Danielle managing to gently control them.

Roxy slowly felt her heart breaking, the pain caused to both these women was only reparable by one person, and ironically it was each other. "I know that you mean everything to her babe, and if you let me – I'll help you forget. You can help me understand. I'm here to listen Danielle," Roxy soothed as she comforted her niece.

Danielle found the courage inside her to look at Roxy, really look at her whilst admitting how hard everything was, "Its hard Roxy…so hard," She breathed as the tears rapidly started to fall down her face.

Roxy, at seeing the tears fall, rushed to Danielle's bedside, gently enveloping her into a tight hug, comfortingly brushing her hands through her niece's hair. "I know it is, I know – but everything will be ok Dani," She assured her as Danielle tightly clasped her hands around Roxy's bag, collapsing into her arms and finally letting the hurt and pain she had harbored for so long spill out.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the delay in posting but I've been so busy. I have updated all four of my stories though! It's a short chapter but I promise the next one will be longer and Ronnie and Danielle will be reunited soon!**

Roxy ran her fingers through Danielle's short blonde hair; her eye's simply staring at her niece. She had watched Danielle fall into a deep sleep, using Roxy for comfort as she let her tears fall uncontrollably down her face. Roxy had simply held her in her arms, whispering promises that she was going to keep, promising that she would protect Danielle, that she would always be there and so would Amy. They were family and they meant everything to each other, even if it wasn't normal circumstances.

Gently adjusting her arm, she edged away from Danielle, sliding her feet off the bed and standing up, watching Danielle at her most vulnerable. For only a minute, she was going to leave her ever peaceful looking niece and tell Ronnie to go and bring some things in for her daughter. However, Roxy didn't account for Danielle to wake up just as her hands slid across the handle and gently pushed it down,

"Roxy?" Danielle whispered her voice croaky from the small sleep she had just endured, and her eyes wandering aimlessly around the room as she tried to catch her aunt in her sight.

"Hey babe," Roxy soothed as she closed the door and made her way over to the bed, cupping Danielle's face in her hands, making small movements with her thumbs.

"Where were you going?" Danielle timidly asked, as she tried to control her feelings and not let another possible rejection cause her even more hurt or pain.

"No, no," Roxy explained, wishing that she had left it another ten minutes to leave Danielle, "I was just going to go and ask Ronnie to get you some things from the Slaters and maybe, maybe ask Stacey to come and visit you. It was going to be a surprise, I wasn't leaving you Danielle," Her voice was calm and controlled and so loving towards Danielle that it set Danielle off again, as gentle tears streamed down her face.

"Oh Danielle," Roxy soothed as she pulled Daniele into an embrace, gently comforting her niece by moving her hand up and down her back, "It's going to be ok, everything will be ok," She whispered into Danielle's ear as she pulled away, smiling at her as she did so.

Roxy gently adjusted the seat behind her as she sat down and held Danielle's hand in hers, gracefully and comfortingly moving her thumb across Danielle's knuckles, studying her niece as her eyes lids drooped and slowly fastened shut. Roxy couldn't help but notice how much Danielle looked like Ronnie at this moment in time; they were so alike it was unreal.

Twenty minutes later and satisfied that Danielle wouldn't awake she left the private room and made her way to the family room, a short walk away. Inside, she was greeted by an unhappy looking Ronnie and the male policeman she had being left with. Ronnie's face lit up as Roxy made her way across the room, and the questions spilled out of her mouth; the questions concerning her one and only daughter, Danielle.

"How is she Rox? Did you tell her why I'm not there? Did she, did she ask about me?" The garbled words echoed through Roxy's mind as she looked at the pain evident across her sister's face.

"She's fine Ron, and I told her – don't worry," Roxy said, as she took a seat next to her sister, gently placing her hand on her knee, "She loves you, you know, and she looks exactly like you when she sleeps," Roxy whispered, feeling her heart fill with joy as she saw her sister's face light up, and her eyes blink back tears.

"I…I know you don't want to leave her Ron, but" Roxy spoke softly hoping to persuade her sister to leave, to just bring her daughter some necessities, "Danielle needs some clothes, some of her things and I wondered if you could go and get her them?!"

"I'm not leaving her Rox, I'm not" Ronnie sighed defensively, as she looked at her sister in shook; how could she even suggest that she leave her baby, leave her to fend for herself, leave her alone and risk the chance of her daughter thinking she was being rejected once more.

"Ron," Roxy pleaded, as Ronnie snatched away her hand and stood up, pacing around the small room.

"I don't know how you can even suggest it; I'm staying here with my daughter," Ronnie protested as she lay her head in her hands, gently sighing as she saw the state of the ruined bridesmaid dress.

"Ronnie!" Roxy hissed as she stood up to stand next to her sister, "You can't see her, they won't let you. I can't go, can I? Unless you want me to leave Danielle by herself?"

Ronnie felt guilt-tripped into leaving as her sister spoke those final words, she wouldn't let Danielle be by herself, she had to have the comfort of knowing that even if she wasn't allowed to see her daughter, then somebody she trusted with her life would stay and support her little girl, "Ok, ok. I'll go, but if there's any change, any change at all, you ring me ok?"

Roxy smiled as she saw her sister give in, "Of course Ron, now go and you'll be back faster!"


	12. Chapter 12

Ronnie sat impatiently in the back of a cab, tapping her foot on the floor. Before she had left, she had been asked by DCI Pearson to give a DNA sample and some fingerprints, something to which she obliged straight away. Normally, Ronnie wouldn't have done it so willingly but precious time with her daughter was at stake and she hoped that by helping the police along with their investigation; her and her daughter would be reunited.

She sighed loudly as the taxi driver pulled to halt at some temporary traffic lights, annoyed at how long this journey had taken. They had set off twenty minutes ago and they were still a good ten minutes from Walford; Ronnie just wanted to return to the hospital as fast as she could and be in close proximity to her daughter, and possibly – possibly spend some time with her.

Her heart pounded against her chest as she thought about Danielle – her daughter. Her beautiful face, the dimples in her check when she smiled and how content she was when she was asleep. Everything she thought she would never have had been handed to her on a plate but her own closed mind had failed to see what was really there, that her little girl had been in Walford all this time. She was perfect, she really was Ronnie thought. Such a caring girl, such a nice person, so beautiful, and she was Ronnie's, she really was.

A while later, Ronnie forcefully stuffed some money into the taxi driver's hand before running towards the Vic. She received many stares as she ran through the Square, hitching her wedding dress up as she tried to run as fast as she could. She didn't care what people thought, what they thought of her and what she had done; all that mattered was her baby.

She slammed her hand across the red doors, sending shooting pains through the whole of her hand, before banging again hoping to get somebody's attention. Nothing could move faster enough for Ronnie, as she shouted through the door, "Aunty Peg!"

The door flung open to show an unimpressed Peggy Mitchell stood, with her hand on her hips, however her face broke into a smile as she saw Ronnie stood there, confusion fading across her face as she realised her niece/step daughter was stood in the same dress as she had been last night, "Sweetheart, why are you still dressed like that? Where's Danielle?"

There was no time for conversation as Ronnie rushed upstairs, shouting a few answer's down the stairs, her voice slightly breaking as she realised how bad the situation sounded, "There was an accident aunty Peg, she's at the hospital"

Within minutes, Ronnie had dashed into the shower, stripping off her bridesmaid dress and feeling the water cascading down her body; her make ran down her face uncontrollably and her tear stained face was washed away in an instance. It felt so relaxing, as if it was washing away all the bad memories and starting a fresh, blank canvas. She couldn't help but let her thoughts drift off to her baby – not that she wouldn't want them to – but she just wanted to hold her, to never let her go and just have more contact with her. She was craving it.

Within minutes, she had left the comfort of the bathroom and ran out in her towel, almost knocking Peggy over, who watched, concerningly, her niece, "What do you mean accident?"

"Just an accident Peggy, ok. Just leave it," Ronnie cried through her bedroom door, before appearing in a fresh set of clothes, some old tracksuits and a hoodie. Her hair was scrapped back into a ponytail and not a scrap of make up was visible on her face. She smiled at Peggy before rapidly making her way down the stairs and slamming the door behind her. She couldn't bear for anyone to know about the car and how it could have been her fault. If only she'd protected her child, held her in her arms and believed her when she had pleaded with her – her own mum.

As she made her way across the square, she put her hand in her left pocket, brushing her fingers across the delicate chains of the lockets. Hers had been such an important part of her life and Danielle's in hers and she wanted them to be together, like they should have always being. It also offered her a small bit of comfort, knowing for the first time in her life that her daughter was safe – safe and beautiful.

She paused at the Slater's front door, fearing a little reluctance to enter, as she breathed deeply. She had to do this; she had to – for her daughter. Cautiously, she approached the door and timidly knocked. She cast her eyes around the front of the house, letting them drift upwards and latching onto the figure of Stacey stood watching from the window above.

The door opened and Ronnie was greeted by Jean, who let the blonde Mitchell in, fussing around her as she did. They never had Mitchell's in their house, Jean thought, not since, since Roxy and Sean had been together. "Can I...I get you anything, Ronnie?" Jean questioned as Ronnie shook her head, "Tea? Coffee? Biscuits?"

"I, I wondered if I could go and get a few things from Danielle's room, she asked me to get some things for her," Ronnie spoke quietly, hoping that she would be allowed, as she dragged her eyes from the floor and onto Jean's face.

"Oh," Jean paused as she spoke, "Stacey's upstairs – I'm sure it will be ok!" She smiled cheerfully as she watched Ronnie smile back before leaving to go upstairs.

Ronnie slowly made her way up the stairs, apprehensive about how Stacey was going to react – she didn't normally act like this but now she was a mother, Danielle's mother, everything had to be perfect. She wanted to be the perfect mother to her little girl.

She slowly opened the door, knowing which was Danielle's room from seeing Stacey earlier, and cautiously entered the room, closing her mouth to stop the sound of her heavy breathing escaping. Her face fell as she saw Stacey staring at her, a cold glare piercing through her skin.

"What did you do to her Ronnie Mitchell? What happened to her?" Stacey shrieked as Ronnie closed the door behind her. "You Mitchell's you ruin everything!"

"It was an accident Stacey…" Ronnie whispered as she stared around the room, a tidy bed in the corner catching her eye. That was where her baby slept, where she had been at her most content and peaceful. She felt her heart rush with pride as she thought about how her daughter took after her in her tidiness, one thing that Ronnie remembered from Danielle's interview – and a small segment of the life she wish she had seen. "She…she got hit by a car, I came to pick up some things for her and see if you wanted to come and see her,"

"You left her at the hospital by herself?" Stacey breathed, unable to believe the cruelness of this woman if her thoughts were true.

"No!" Ronnie replied, knowing that it wasn't true, it wasn't. She wanted to see her baby, she needed to see her, and she hadn't left, she hadn't rejected her – she wanted her but she wasn't allowed. "It's…" She rubbed her forehead as her forehead creased, "It's complicated, ok, but she's there with Roxy,"

"But you left her…"Stacey accused as she saw Ronnie's face fill with offense, her eyes darting around the room, "I'm going to that hospital and I'm staying with Dan until she is better, and you," She pointed a slender finger at Ronnie, "If you hurt her, I will get you ok, one tear from her and I'll make sure you never see her again,"

Ronnie meekly nodded as she started to pack a few of Danielle's things – it felt wrong to be going through a stranger's belongings, but this stranger wasn't just anybody – it was her daughter. She smiled to herself as she fiddled through Danielle's possessions, gently folding the clothes into a bag she had brought with her, before zipping up the bag and placing it over her shoulder.

For the whole of the time she had packed the bag, Stacey had just stood there, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes at the blonde woman. She hadn't said a word, but no words were needed as both knew how each other felt. They left the house in silence and made their way across the Square, Ronnie requesting to stop at the Minute Mart before they caught a taxi together.

Inside, Ronnie was debating over the type of chocolates to buy her daughter as Stacey stood sighing loudly at the side of her, "What type do you think she'd like?" Ronnie quietly questioned as she turned her head to face Stacey.

Stacey focused her eyes on Ronnie as she stared at her face, seeing small tear marks evident across her cheeks, "The dark one, she likes dark chocolate," Stacey spoke quietly as she took the box out of Ronnie's hand.

A small smile faded across Ronnie's face as she took the chocolates and flowers, in her hand, to the counter to pay for them. It was a small bit of information – insignificant to most – but to Ronnie it meant the whole world, a small part of her daughter's life that she was slowly starting to know.

The journey to the hospital was slow and painful for both women, the tension in the air feeling like it was able to be cut by a knife. Ronnie desperately hoped that there had been some developments in the case and that she would be free to see her daughter when she wanted and be there to hold her little girl's hand.

The ward was no different to when Ronnie had left, which was now a few hours ago, except they were greeted by the two DCI's. Ronnie felt her heart turn in her chest, anxious that they were here to tell her good news and not bad. She ushered Stacey off to the room, not wanting her daughter's best friend to know what was happening, telling her that she would follow her in a minute.

"Miss Mitchell, can we have a word?"

Nervously nodding, Ronnie followed the two women into the small family room which had become so familiar over the past twenty-four hours, taking a seat on one of the comfy chairs.

"Miss Mitchell, we found some DNA inside the car. The good news is that it isn't yours so you are no longer a suspect in our investigation. However, some of the DNA does match to yours and we have since found out that the sample comes from a male, which along with the match's in your DNA suggests to us that it is a member of your family," DCI Pearson explained, as Ronnie felt elation spread across her face at being cleared.

"We understand that you want to spend some time with your daughter, so we will be back in a few hours to take a full witness statement from you Miss Mitchell,"

Ronnie nodded as she stood up, smiling at the two women before stumbling out of the room and making her way down the corridor. Happiness was an understatement of how she was feeling, elation – maybe, but she had never felt so happy in her whole life. She was off to see her baby.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hope you enjoy this chapter, I think it's a bit rubbish because its been a week since I last wrote anything! **

Ronnie hesitated outside her daughter's room, breathing deeply before she dared to push down the handle and open the door to reveal her most precious possession. She was worried about the state that Danielle was in and hoped that she hadn't gotten any worse since she had last seen her. But she hoped most of all that her daughter would allow them to talk and to get everything out in the open; to try and be a family unit together.

As the door gradually opened, Ronnie peered her head around the door before fully entering the room; she was awestruck at her daughter, at her perfection, at her beauty, just at her. She felt her heart pound in her chest and her head become light headed as she heard her voice, heard her laugh as she spoke to Stacey. It may not have been aimed at her, but to Ronnie it was perfect. She gently closed the door behind her as she saw Danielle's head dart towards hers, Ronnie grinned as she was rewarded by a small smile and a glint in her daughter's eyes.

Danielle felt the nerves build up inside her as she heard Ronnie enter, this woman full of perfection, full of sophistication and intimidation – it made her so nervous. She felt her mouth instinctively form a smile when Ronnie smiled at her, before she turned her attention back to Stacey, not wanting to feel so self conscious under the gaze of Ronnie Mitchell.

Ronnie came and stood next to Roxy, who remained at Danielle's bedside, gently placing the bag hung on her shoulder and flowers in her hand down on the floor. Danielle was now sat up in bed, having been seen by a few doctors and nurses and her oxygen mask had been removed. When Ronnie had left, she had also gone for another scan with Roxy there holding her hand. Ronnie folded her arms, as her eyes remained transfixed on her daughter, her voice soft and quiet as she spoke to Roxy, "Is she ok?"

"Yeah, she's getting better Ron, had a few more injections and she went for another scan whilst you were gone," Roxy explained as Ronnie felt a tinge of jealousy, she should have been doing those things with her daughter, holding her hand and telling her that everything would be ok – not her sister.

However, Ronnie nodded in agreement with her sister as she saw Danielle relax in her friends company, giggling and smiling and just being herself. All four women turned towards the door as it entered and the doctor came into the room, surveying his eyes around the room.

"I'm afraid it's just parents or guardians until visiting hours at five," He told the three blondes and brunette, as all of their heads turned to him.

"But we've only just got here!" Stacey argued, determined to stay with her best friend and not leave her alone in the company of a Mitchell.

"I'm sorry but its hospital policy, only _one parent_ is allowed to stay,"

Stacey sighed heavily as she stood up from the chair; not wanting to go but not wanting to cause a scene and embarrass Danielle. She hugged her friend goodbye and whispered in her ear that she would return at visiting hours, and bring some entertainment for them. Danielle smiled gratefully at Stacey as she hugged her friend back, happy that she had so gracefully decided to leave but nervous that it would soon just be her and the woman she craved.

Roxy, too, stood up from her chair and went over to her niece, embracing her into a tight hug, "I'll be back later Dan ok?"

Danielle smiled at Roxy, as she pulled out of the hug, gently adjusting her hospital gown as she did so. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper, "Thank you Roxy,"

Roxy grinned at Danielle, her looks strikingly similar to those of Ronnie's as she hugged her sister goodbye and left the hospital room. The room became eerily quiet as Stacey and Roxy left, leaving just mother and daughter alone together, along with the doctor, who was preoccupied with the emergency call attached to his trouser line.

"There's an emergency down the hall, I'll be back with you as soon as I can Danielle," Leaving the room quickly after he had spoken, Ronnie sighed as the door shut. She gently sat down on the chair that Roxy had previously occupied and continued to take in all off her daughter's features.

Danielle shifted awkwardly in her position as she felt Ronnie's eyes latch onto her body; she winced in slight pain as her open grazes beneath the hospital gown slid across the material. This was enough so snap Ronnie out of her day dream and caused concern to rapidly fill her body as she saw her daughter's perfect features change across her face,

"Are you ok Danielle?" Ronnie asked worriedly as she leant forward on her chair, shortening the distance between her and her child.

Danielle gently turned her head to her mother, blinking back stray tears as she did so, and let a weak smile fade across her face. "I'm ok," She said quietly, her voice shaky and full of nerves as she spoke to the mother she had dreamt of for so long, "Are you ok?" She quietly questioned as she raised her eyes up to Ronnie's allowing them to connect.

"Yes, yes I'm good," Ronnie quickly responded to her baby's question, her whole body filling with goosebumps as she heard her daughter's voice. She had to resist the urge to smoother her daughter and just hold her in her arms; everything was on Danielle's terms no matter how long it took, Ronnie just wanted her daughter and would do anything to make sure that they were together.

The next few minutes were filled with an awkward silence as both women sat there, neither knowing what to do; Danielle was fiddling with the duvet cover and Ronnie sat on the chair, relaxing into it, as she let her eyes drift onto her daughter.

"I brought you some things," Ronnie finally spoke, as she dug around by her feet and produced the bag of things that she had brought, producing the bag that she had brought and placing it on the edge of the bed, "I brought you some chocolates and some flowers and your clothes," she rambled on as she pulled out the box of chocolates, smiling at her daughter as she placed them by her side. "Do you want one?"

Danielle shook her head slightly, as she watched Ronnie's face fall. She dragged her eyes from Ronnie's face, hurt as she saw Ronnie's reaction. Had she just disappointed her mother by refusing a chocolate?

"Do…do you not like dark chocolate?" Ronnie timidly questioned, afraid that Stacey had told her false information. She moved her head slightly, desperately trying to form eye contact with her baby.

Danielle raised her head slightly at the sound of Ronnie's voice, soft and calm – not like the usual Ronnie, and there was fear in her voice too. She slowly moved her head to face Ronnie as she replied quietly, "No…it's just, the doctor said I can't have any food,"

"Oh, of course," Ronnie replied as she put the chocolates back in the bag, cursing herself inside for forgetting the small bit of information that the doctor had said. Why couldn't she have just remembered?

"We…we could have them tomorrow, if you, I mean only if…you want to," Danielle shyly said as she looked up at Ronnie's face, only daring to make eye contact for a couple of seconds before moving her eyes back to the bedcovers.

Ronnie's reply was instantaneous as a smile graced her face, "I'd love to,"


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry about the delay again, and I'm afraid this will probably be the last update for at least 3 weeks since I have so much on! Hopefully though, I will be able to update all four of my stories then to give you plenty to read. **

Ronnie remained watching her daughter for a couple of moments, drinking in every feature as her daughter remained staring at her hands, aimlessly entwining them. The room was eerily silent with only the beeping of the machines and Danielle's breathing filling the room. Ronnie, leaning forward on her chair, so that she was closer to her baby broke the silence with a simple question, her voice cool and calm,

"What did the doctor say whilst I was gone?" She slowly questioned as her whole face lit up when Danielle's eyes met with her own.

Danielle let her shoulder shrug a little in response to the question before trying quietly to clear her throat, letting out a little cough as she did so, "He said that I should be able to go home in a few days and that everything seems ok,"

Ronnie felt the goosebumps fade up and down her whole body as she heard Danielle's small timid voice, her heart breaking ever so gently as she realised how broken her baby was. She had done this; she had destroyed the once confident teenager to this shy woman who expected rejection. Her baby was damaged and it was all her fault, she expected rejection because Ronnie, this child's mother, had said the cruelest things and let her daughter down big time. Ronnie felt a new leash of determination inside her heart as she made the vow to herself to stand by her daughter and help restore the shattered confidence inside her precious baby.

"Well that's good," Ronnie breathed, sighs of relief escaping from her body, "Danielle, I just…"

Their moment was interrupted when the doctor reentered the room, Danielle narrowing her eyes at her mum who Danielle felt was about to say something important. Ronnie smiled at her little girl, before reluctantly turning her attention to the doctor stood at the doorway, "I just wondered if I could have a word Miss Mitchell?" He requested as Ronnie turned her eyes back to her baby.

"Is it ok if I go? I'll only be a few minutes," She whispered to Danielle, not wanting to leave her daughter, even if it was only for a second. Danielle responded with a small nod and a ghost of a smile as she beckoned Ronnie to leave.

Ronnie stood up from her chair before leaving the room and Danielle alone. It was killing her to leave her daughter once again even though she knew it was only for a small amount of time.

As soon as Ronnie left the room, Danielle let out a large sigh feeling relieved that she was only for a small while, even breathing under the intimidating glare of Ronnie was making her shift awkwardly and feel self-conscious. She had spent so long dreaming of this, dreaming of her mum, but now it was real it was so much more difficult than Danielle had ever imagined.

Danielle remained enticed in her own thoughts for a while more before being disturbed by Ronnie entering the room, who rapidly walked from one end of the room to the other, clutching some medication and cotton wool in her hands.

Danielle slowly moved her gaze to Ronnie's as her mum sat down on the chair, posing her lips ready to speak but no words leaving her mouth. For the first time today, Danielle studied Ronnie, really studied her – the clothes, the make up free face and the scraped back hair. This wasn't the Ronnie Mitchell that Danielle remembered, the sophisticated, beautiful and young woman she remembered, her definition of perfection, but the motherly Ronnie who seemed to be suffering almost as much as Danielle.

Ronnie smiled as she allowed Danielle to focus her attention on her, whilst she too studied her daughter's face for a few moments, studying her beauty, her small movements, everything she never thought she'd see. She couldn't believe that she hadn't see what had been right in front of her for all of this time, her little girl, her _baby, _and she hadn't realised, she had almost thrown her out.

The abortion was playing heavily on both women's minds, Ronnie immediately forgiving her daughter but also wondering what could have been. For a start, they wouldn't be in this hospital – Ronnie wouldn't have said those cruel words to a pregnant girl, especially not somebody as special and precious as her baby. And Danielle couldn't help but wish that Ronnie would just shout at her and tell her what a mistake it was because it was, she had killed her baby. She would see the Ronnie she had known for so long, the cruel, heartless women who had persuaded her to get rid of the little baby growing inside of her, aborting Ronnie's grandchild.

Cautiously, Ronnie spoke as she saw Danielle's eyes drift away from her face, the glistening of tears prickling at her own senses, "Danielle – sweetie," She whispered, allowing the mothering words to ever so graciously slip off her tongue. "The doctor gave me this," She indicated to the tube of cream in her hand as she moved her head a fraction to get a better glimpse of her daughter's reaction, "It's for your grazes,"

Danielle slowly moved her head again, her eyes latching onto the cream Ronnie held in her outstretched hand, "I…I won't be able to put it on," she whispered defeated as she glanced down at her right arm, covered in plaster and the IV drip still placed into her skin, feeling slightly embarrassed as she said it.

"I could do it for you," Ronnie whispered back, allowing a small smile to occupy her face as she said the words, leaning ever so slightly forward.

Danielle hesitantly nodded, slightly wearing of her actions. She wanted more than anything to have Ronnie mother her and do the things a mum should do, but she couldn't help but think about all the bad memories and the pain that was holding her back, the pain that her own mother had caused her.

Ronnie slowly stood up, moving her eyes around the room to the sink in the corner, where she slowly made her way to. She quickly rinsed a bowl out on the side, and filled it with warm water, her actions all under the glare of Danielle. She made her way back to the bed, placing the bowl filled with water on the table at the side.

Ronnie gradually edged herself onto the hospital bed, as Danielle gently shifted to one side. She felt slightly uncomfortable with Ronnie in such close proximity – it was all she had ever wanted but at the current moment in time, it didn't feel quite right.

Ronnie sat there for a few seconds awkwardly, not sure how fast to approach this – maybe she was moving too fast for her baby, maybe it wasn't what Danielle wanted, she didn't know. She didn't know anything about her own daughter.

"Danielle…" her voice shaky, as she held out the cream, slowly trying to press her daughter to show her the grazes and open cuts. She didn't want to push her daughter – it could potentially be an unreal situation for them both – but she wanted to get to know her, to help her and love her.

Danielle flustered as she rolled up the hospital gown sleeve, "Sorry, sorry Ronnie," Ronnie sat in shock at her daughter, finally realising the full extent of her treatment, this girl, her little girl, was afraid of her. She was determined to help her and to show her baby that she really did care. She let out a small gasp as she saw the stark red graze down her baby's forearm, as Danielle revealed the pain she was enduring.

Ronnie swallowed hard, not knowing what to say as she gently soaked the cotton wool into the warm water, squeezing off the excess. Her voice was only just audible as she spoke, "It might sting a bit, Danielle," she soothed as she gently placed the first bit onto Danielle's skin, "I'll be as gentle as I can,"

Danielle flinched as she felt the cotton wool touch her first graze, unsure whether she was flinching at Ronnie's touch or at the temperature of the water. This action didn't go unnoticed by Ronnie who immediately removed her hand from colliding with her daughter's skin, "Sorry Danielle," she whispered, "Di…did I hurt you?"

"No, no" Danielle replied, allowing her eyes to drift away from the bedcovers and onto Ronnie's unusually inviting face, wanting the feeling of Ronnie's motherly actions to overpower her again.

Ronnie slowly continued to gently sooth the cotton wool into Danielle's open wound wiping away the trapped pieces of dirt, feeling the pain emitted by her daughter leap into her heart, the physical wounds were bad enough, but emotionally Ronnie knew was much worse, so much worse.

Ronnie soothingly moved her fingers up and down Danielle's arm, as she felt her heart warm, at the simple touch of her baby's skin. She never thought she would get this chance, and yet here her baby was more perfect than she could ever imagine.

Within a few minutes, Danielle had relaxed slightly in Ronnie's company as she felt her mother gently adjust the sleeve on her gown, and placing the cotton wool on the side. She unscrewed the cap of the cream and gently squeezed a small amount onto her fingertip. Her voice was quiet when she spoke, almost afraid of what might happen if Danielle rejected her, "It might be a bit cold ok?"

Danielle didn't reply as she felt the cream massage into her open wound, slightly stinging as it did so. She had to be brave though; she had to show her mother that she was a Mitchell, that she really was part of their family.

Ronnie held her breath as she slowly wiped the cream in, it hitching in her throat as she saw the beginning of some bruises appearing around Danielle's wrist. Her mind immediately jolted back to _that_ night, when Archie had so cruelly dragged Danielle down the stairs at the Vic.

Ronnie gently unrolled Danielle's sleeve, gracefully covering the wound that reflected both their pain. Ronnie – hesitantly – spoke to her daughter again, not knowing if it was the right thing to do, "Do…do you have any more, Danielle?" she questioned, again not wanting to push her baby.

Danielle gently bit her teeth into her moist lip, as she slowly nodded her head up and down feeling slightly vulnerable under the presence of Ronnie Mitchell; she wanted her, she wanted her mum, and maybe now was the time to let her mum into her heart, to freely open up – but maybe the time wasn't right, maybe Danielle wouldn't find it in her heart to forgive. She wanted more than anything for her mum to hold her, but she wasn't sure it was what Ronnie wanted – if any of it was what Ronnie wanted…


	15. Chapter 15

**So I decided to rewrite chapter 15 and 16. Chapter 16 should be up later this week and some updates in my other fics! Thanks for continuing to read.**

Danielle gently bowed her head as she crossed her legs under the duvet; as she watched with a sideways glance, Ronnie pulling back down the hospital gown across her open wounds. She sniffed slightly, quickly stopping as she realised she had broken the tranquil peace that had fallen between the two blonde women; so alike in their dreams and hopes.

The tension between them was evident; neither one of them wanting to cross the boundaries and risk losing the other for ever. Danielle felt the hospital gown fall onto her arm, sticking slightly to the cream on her skin below. She looked down at her left arm, covered in plaster, and squirmed slightly as she felt a slight tremor running through it. She hated all this hospital stuff, it reminded her of her mum, of Lizzie, and the painful goodbyes her and Gareth had to give.

Ronnie gently bit her teeth into her bottom lip, feeling the moisture on her white teeth, stealing a sneaky glance at her daughter. It had been seconds since she had felt her skin across her daughters but she was already craving it, wanting to hold her little girl in her arms and never let her go.

She knew what had happened between them was holding her baby back, stopping her from releasing her thoughts and feelings and she knew she only had herself to blame but she needed to know these things, she wanted to know and let her ever changing mind rest.

Ronnie breathed in heavily, before whispering her daughter's perfect name, "Danielle,"

Her plea was greeted by no reply as Danielle shifted awkwardly in her seat, not daring to even bring her eyes up to those of her mother. Everything was so raw, so painful and so new. Danielle had thought for the past few days that all Ronnie wanted was to get rid of her, she was only worth a few filthy notes – 200 pounds at the most; all she had wanted was for them to confront each other face to face and then for Danielle to reject her mother and leave…not all this, all the comforting and awkward moments – this wasn't the Ronnie Mitchell Danielle knew.

Ronnie reached out a shaking hand, gently sweeping away the hair obscuring Danielle's face as she whispered her baby's name once more. At Ronnie's soft touch, Danielle crumbled – her whole face breaking down and the tears leaked from behind her eyes, and as much as she tried to stop it, they continued to fall.

Danielle slowly shook her head as she tried to snatch the tears from her eyes and stop them falling with her hands, sniffling a few small words as she did so, "Sorry Ronnie, sorry,"

Ronnie released herself from her frozen state that she had remained in and instantly comforted her little girl, caressing her thumb over Danielle's knuckles and slowly wiping away the tears that fell. The warm tear drops that made their way across Ronnie's fingertips made her whole body feel warm with love and pride at this young woman. This was her baby, her Amy, and she was alive and within reaching distance.

"Don't cry sweetie, everything will be ok," Ronnie soothed as she edged nearer and held her hands across Danielle's cheeks, engulfing her daughters face in her hands. She swept her fingers across her baby's face, catching the tears as they fell.

Her own eyes were burning with tears as she watched her precious daughters face become a flood of tears; her baby's sobs filling her ears with pain and hurt. The tears that were falling were an oh-so often reminder of the pain and tears that had been shed almost twenty years previously. Her daughter's screams often filled her head when she was unable to sleep; the nightmares of losing her daughter playing again and again in her head as she cried herself to sleep.

As Danielle's cries softened, Ronnie kept her hands of her daughter's cheeks – desperate for that bit of physical contact. Ever so often, Danielle let her in, let her close and kept her close but then she pushed her away again, pulling away from Ronnie's touch and keeping her distance. It broke Ronnie's heart but she knew that everything was at Danielle's pace. Her daughter was the leader and she had to follow whatever was thrown at her; whether she liked it or not.

As the tears dried up and Danielle's breathing returned to normal, she managed to drag her eyes from the bed to her mothers; the crystal blue eyes that were always so icy were now warm and loving. Ronnie's face broke into smile instantly as she Danielle look at her, her hands gently slipping down Danielle's face as her concentration dropped.

Within seconds, Danielle tore her gaze from Ronnie's once more, unable to find the confidence and trust that she wished she had. She shut her eyes for a few moments, wishing for the memories to go away so she could place the trust in Ronnie she wanted to; she wanted to believe she had changed, she wanted to believe the words she said and the actions she did but too much was holding her back.

"Sorry Ronnie," she mumbled again – for what she wasn't sure. The tears? The rejections? For just being herself?

Inside, her heart crumbled as she heard Danielle's timid and scared voice. Another apology from her daughter and for what Ronnie wasn't sure either. After the way she had been treated, the tears Danielle shed were natural – a way of dealing with the pain and hurt – and the pulling away was instinctively on both women's minds. Ronnie had hurt her baby time and time again and pulling away was Danielle's way of dealing with it. But why did it have to be so hard?

Ronnie simply smiled at her daughter, bearing her shiny white teeth as she did. The tube full of antiseptic cream lay open on the bed and the cotton wool next to it, a stark reminder of why they were here.

"Do you…I mean, the creams there if you want me to continue – I…you don't have to, somebody else could do it if you wanted," Ronnie stumbled over her words as she tried to approach the subject of Danielle's grazes once more; not knowing if she was saying the right thing and pushing Danielle further away.

Her whole body tensed up, as Danielle nervously bit her lip. She was already so self conscious in front of Ronnie – in front of her mum – maybe this was a step too far. But then again, Danielle had to let Ronnie in some time, know she had admitted who she was. Maybe this would be easier instead of them talking and opening the wounds inside that were still so fragile.

"There's….I think there are some on…my back," Danielle whispered, afraid that the boundaries would be invaded and there would be no turning back. She let her hair fall across her face, hiding it from Ronnie's view as Ronnie reluctantly moved her hands from her daughter's skin to the cream and cotton wool.

Gently, she placed the cotton wool in the lukewarm water and squeezed off the excess intently listening to her daughter's words. Her daughter's nerves were all too evident in her voice, quaking as she spoke, and she wanted to prove to Danielle that she was motherly – she deserved to be a mother, deserved to be Danielle's mother.

Peeling Danielle's gown from her back, Ronnie let out a little gasp as she saw the stark red marks laced across her daughter's back. Her own fears set aside, she gently dabbed the cotton wool on the grazes, removing her hand immediately as Danielle's body shuddered.

"Go on…" Danielle whispered as she felt Ronnie's hand remove itself. Strangely, it felt so right, so normal to have Ronnie doing these things for her – acting like a mum should. "It's a bit of a shock that's all," Danielle justified herself, allowing a small laugh to escape at the end.

Ronnie smiled to herself as she continued wiping away the dirt and gently rinsing it in the bowl next to her, "Last time I did this, I was helping Roxy and she screamed the place down. I…I can't remember what she'd done but Aunty Peg came running in thinking there was a burglar or something!" Ronnie laughed a little at the memory, as she saw a glimpse of a smile fade across the corners of Danielle's face.

It had been so easy – yet so simple to talk to something about her daughter that wasn't promises or continuous questions on how she was feeling. It felt good. It felt right.

"When I was little," Danielle paused for a moment, the confidence fading from her voice as she thought that maybe Ronnie didn't want to hear what she was about to say, digging up the past was something neither of them had wanted to do.

Ronnie continued to wipe at the grit on her daughter's back, hanging onto every word that her baby spoke. The voice was so perfect, the words, sentences, every syllable was like music to her ears – she had dreamt so long of this moment. Her daughter's abrupt stop made her look up from what she was doing, the smile fading from her face, and her mouth unsure of what words to allow to escape.

Danielle coughed slightly before continuing to speak, "When I was little, me and Gareth used to fall off our bikes all the time. He used to push me off but then he…he fell off after to try and make me feel better," Danielle let out a small quiet laugh at the memory – her brother and her were inseparable as they grew up, only becoming more distant when Danielle moved to London.

Ronnie too let out a little giggle as she heard Danielle laugh, listening intently as her daughter carried on speaking,

"We were always covered in plasters and dirt. My mu…" Danielle paused for a second before carrying on, unsure of what to call Lizzie in front of Ronnie. She didn't want to hurt Ronnie's feelings but at the same time she didn't want to betray Lizzie's memory, "My mum…always got fed up of cleaning us up and pulling off old plasters - that was the worst bit!"

The smile couldn't be contained across Ronnie's face as Danielle talked about the past, her heart aching as she heard Danielle talk about her 'mum'. She was her mum, this girl – her baby – was her daughter not somebody else's. She was hers.

"Yeah?" she whispered quietly as she screwed the top on the cream, gently wiping her hands down with some spare cotton wool. "You're all done," she said cheerfully as she pulled Danielle's dressing gown back down. The tension between them had softened slightly and Ronnie was enjoying every second of spending time with her daughter, and she hoped that within time, her daughter would become comfortable spending time with her.


	16. Chapter 16

Ronnie stood up from the bed, gently carrying the bowl of water to the sink in the corner. Under Danielle's stare, she emptied the bowl and placed it ever so carefully on the side, not daring to make a sound and break the silence which had fallen between the pair. She turned around, her blonde hair following her and resting gently on her back; Danielle in awe at her mother's beauty.

Ronnie's eyes drifted up to Danielle's, relishing in the sight of her daughter sat on the bed watching her every move – like a little child, desperate not to let their mum out of their sight. She sighed before moving to perch on the edge of the bed, folding her arms as she sat down.

Her eyes immediately moved from Ronnie's as she saw her mother sit down on the edge of the bed; her crossed legs needed to be stretched out but she was too afraid to make any movement that could disturb them. Before – just a few moments ago – everything had become so comfortable and the talking was easy but now it had become so hard, so difficult – the tension had returned.

Ronnie looked at her child, drinking in every feature and movement, staring at her daughter and trying to memorise every feature. Only yesterday had she thought her daughter was lost forever and now here she was; tired and broken but undeniable perfect.

The sentences were stringing themselves together in her head, her mind trying to figure out which was the best one to say when Danielle moved her gaze; her glistening eyes moving away from Ronnie's once more. Ronnie felt her heart drop slightly as Danielle once again pulled away; she had hurt her daughter so badly and she needed to put it right but she didn't know how.

Ronnie watched intently as Danielle picked with a stray thread from the covers, awestruck by even the simplest of movements from her baby. Bravely, she moved closer to Danielle shuffling along the side of the bed and came to rest only mere inches away from her daughter. Her actions didn't go a miss by her daughter who raised her head slightly before moving it back down.

"I was wondering Danielle if…if you wanted to go to the café with me?" She stumbled over her words and by the end of her sentence her voice had turned into a whisper when Danielle didn't even acknowledge her voice, "I mean…only if you…if you want to,"

After a few seconds pause, Danielle raised her head once more, letting her unbroken arm release the thread, and gently brushing her hair out of her face, "Now?" she quietly questioned.

"Well…yeah," Ronnie replied as she entwined her fingers to drift her concentration, "It does some good drinks – I know you can't eat anything," she remembered desperate not to have a repeat of an earlier performance where she couldn't even remember the doctor's instructions; she was desperate to show her baby how much she cared, "But…I could ask the doctor and we could have some cake or a sandwich or something,"

"I…I don't have any money," Danielle sorrowfully admitted; her mind was coming round to the idea of having something with Ronnie – it would give her a break from here and maybe they could talk again. But she didn't want Ronnie feeling she had to pay for everything – she didn't want Ronnie to pay for everything because like Archie said, her mum had tried to give her money and pay her to leave. She had no idea what the truth was anymore but she didn't want Ronnie to pay her off – she had been hurt enough.

"I'll pay," Ronnie's reply was immediate as she watched her little girl put back up the barriers; hiding inside her shell which she – her own mother – had caused her daughter to form to protect herself from the hurt her mother caused her, "My treat," she finished with a smile. This would be the first time she'd buy her baby food, drinks, the lot – something that was so normal to every other parent but yet one of the special things Ronnie was dying to do.

Danielle paused once more as she thought about Ronnie's quick reply; maybe Ronnie was genuine, maybe she was genuinely wanting to buy some food for her but Archie's cruel and twisted words were spinning around her head. She bit her lip with her front teeth as she sniffed, holding back the tears that formed in her eyes.

Upon seeing her daughter's hesitation, Ronnie began to panic that she had said the wrong thing – maybe it was too soon for something like this…

"Did…did I say something wrong Danielle?" Ronnie whispered, as she moved her head slightly to see her baby's face which was hidden from view beneath her blonde hair.

"Danielle?" she asked again when she received no reply.

Danielle sat there listening to Ronnie's questioning before raising her own head, scruffily moving her hair behind her ears, "Did you really give him all that money?" she demanded to know the answers by trying to make her voice sound stern and confident but in reality it was timid and shy, a small sob escaping when she finished over which Danielle had no control.

"What?" Ronnie whispered back; her maternal instincts shouting at her to hold Danielle in her arms and comfort her. She knew that was a boundary that wasn't to be crossed – yet – but she couldn't help but hope that Danielle would let her cross it.

"The money. Did you really give it to Archie…he said you did…but I, I don't know what to believe anymore," Danielle shook her head as she spoke, before looking at the where the IV drip had been placed into the top of her hand, making her feel sick at just the simple sight.

A little gasp left Ronnie's mouth as the words her precious baby spoke floated through her ears. Her father had tried to poison Ronnie against her own daughter and had told Danielle lies that were backed up by Ronnie's cruel words. She felt sick. What did her father say about her? What other lies did he tell her precious baby?

"Danielle," she soothed as she placed a comforting hand on Danielle's knee, "Whatever he said, whatever he said _I did_, he was lying ok. I need you to believe me baby, ok, it was all lies, he's a liar. He lied to you and he lied to me," Ronnie used her finger to brush a piece of hair that had fallen in front of her daughter's face to the side, her voice pleading her to believe her – she was the one telling the truth. "Please Danielle, believe me," Ronnie pleaded as she looked directly into her daughter's brown eyes, her hand hovering so close to her daughters skin but yet not close enough to touch it.

Danielle sat there for a few moments, drinking in every word her mother had said, before staring into her crystal blue eyes. Those eyes were so perfect, so blue and at this moment in time, they were so inviting and looking at Danielle in such an adoring way. She was so preoccupied looking at her mother that Ronnie's words had completely left her head – maybe she could just forget for a moment and let everything be normal – a form of escape from the hurt and pain she was still experiencing.


	17. Chapter 17

**I rewrote chapters 15 and 16 so please reread! Hope you enjoy this chapter and I should have some more updates soon!**

"Ok…" Danielle whispered as her eyes remained on Ronnie's, a small smile gracing her features as she did. Ronnie grinned back as she saw Danielle's smile – she hadn't noticed it before but it was similar to her own, so perfect and so beautiful.

"Ok?" Ronnie repeated to herself, her voice quiet and small, "Ok," she repeated again, the happiness so evident in her voice, a small laugh unable to be controlled escaping at the end.

A few precious moments were spent simply looking at each other before Danielle dragged her eyes away once more. However, she moved them back up to meet with Ronnie's just before she started speaking, "Could you pass me the bag?" she indicated to the black bag Ronnie had brought earlier and was lying on the floor.

"Yes, of course," Ronnie couldn't contain the happiness in her voice as she practically leapt of the bed and grabbed the bag before placing it on the bed. "I'll go ask the doctor?"

Ronnie asked but also stated; wanting to give Danielle a bit of space as she was unsure of what to do.

Danielle nodded without lifting her eyes; she wanted more than anything to be held in Ronnie's arms but at the moment it didn't feel like the right time. Everything still felt fragile. Danielle reached out to find some clothes to wear although this was pretty difficult with a broken arm. She sighed to herself as the bag once again engulfed her arm, trying desperately to cover her difficulties from Ronnie, who by this time had left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Danielle raised her head surprised to see that Ronnie had left. She stretched her legs out, a small piece of happiness escaping, that she was finally alone and could have a few moments to herself. Under Ronnie's glare it was all very tense and Danielle was desperately afraid of doing something wrong and pushing Ronnie away – but she still wasn't comfortable enough to completely relax – there was still so much to talk about and clear up. But for the moment, Danielle didn't mind pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind; she couldn't believe that she was here with Ronnie, with her mum!

A few minutes later, Ronnie quietly knocked on the door quietly calling out to her daughter, to her baby, "Can…Can I come in Danielle?"

Clearing her throat with a little cough, Danielle replied, "Yes,"

Ronnie cautiously opened the door and smiled when she saw Danielle still sat on the bed, her smile growing wider when Danielle flashed her own perfect, adorable smile. She was so perfect, so very perfect – why had she not noticed the evident similarities before?

There had been so many times when Danielle had tried to get close to her but so many more times that Ronnie had pushed her baby away. So many times… Her father had known, for how long she was unsure, but he had. He had lied and been so cruel it was unimaginable…how could he have done it? Her precious baby was scared of her, it was all too clear, too scared of doing the wrong thing and she pulled away every time Ronnie became too close. It was like watching herself. She was scared, she was afraid, she pushed people away to protect herself and she was feeling guilt like never before. Guilt for hurting her precious baby so much, and saying those awful things that she was sure remained at the forefront of her daughter's mind.

Stood by the side of the bed, Ronnie had her arms crossed as she kept her eyes on her baby; trying to be independent but failing to get anywhere. Secretly, she was glad that Danielle was struggling because it meant she could once again help her daughter and have the physical contact she so desperately craved.

"Here, let me," Ronnie whispered as she moved over to the bed, gently sitting down before holding the bag open for her daughter. Danielle let out a little murmur of thanks before reaching in the searching around in the bag for something suitable to wear. She felt slightly embarrassed as Ronnie sat there holding the bag open – her clothes on show for her to see. Maybe they weren't the clothes Ronnie wanted her to wear or the type Ronnie liked. Maybe she wouldn't like the colours…she just didn't know.

"The doctor said you could have something to eat, that's good isn't it?" Ronnie questioned as she set her eyes firmly on her daughter; maybe it was something every mother did but she couldn't keep her eyes off her child. She had made this precious human being, her! Danielle was her baby, her little girl, her daughter. "I could buy you a sandwich or cake or both if you wanted – whatever you want, I'll buy ok?" Ronnie rambled on, desperate to get her darling daughter to talk but also to prove to herself this was happening – her daughter really was here and alive.

"Yeah," Danielle breathed as she finally settled on a pair of tracksuit bottoms, a plain vest top and a hoody. She also pulled out a pair of white pumps. Something to cover herself up but also comfortable and it could cover her bandaged arm. Another reason was she could – hopefully – put this outfit on without Ronnie's assistance, it wasn't that she didn't want Ronnie to help – her mother had shown how much she cared – but more that she wasn't sure if it was what Ronnie wanted or if she was just doing it out of obligation.

Trapped in her day dream, Ronnie was snapped back into reality as Danielle shuffled awkwardly on the bed, "Do..you…do you want me to go?" she asked as she reached out and ever so carefully brushed her finger across Danielle's jaw; it felt so perfect, so right.

"Would you mind?" Danielle quietly questioned as she felt Ronnie's touch on her skin, it sent shock waves through her body before she allowed herself to relax and bask in the love and affection Ronnie was finally showing her.

"No, no not at all – but if you want any help, ok…"

Danielle nodded before Ronnie finished her sentence, letting a small smile grace her features – a way of showing her appreciation. Well she hoped that's what it came across as.

After Ronnie had left the room, Danielle sighed to herself before shifting her body and carefully putting the body weight on her legs. Her legs felt like jelly as she put the first bit of pressure on them, over twenty four hours sat down and her legs were paying for it. She was still so tired and she had no idea why, all she had done was stay in bed. Ronnie must think I'm pathetic she scowled to herself.

Carefully, she removed the hospital gown, folding it as she did, and slipped the tracksuit bottoms on and sighed loudly before attempting to put the top on. After a small struggle, she managed it however the pumps were proving more difficult as was the hoody. Her left arm was becoming slightly uncomfortable and she couldn't put her feet inside her shoes.

Outside, Ronnie stood patiently, folding her arms as it was slightly cooler outside of the room. For the moments she was stood there, all she could think about was Danielle, her baby's image was stamped across her mind and in her head she was listing everything she knew about her daughter, her past and every little thing that made her heart burst with love. She was in love, she knew it. Her daughter had managed to repair her broken heart and she knew now she could never let her go again. She needed her baby.

She was snapped back to reality when she heard Danielle's small timid voice calling her name. How she longed to hear her baby say mum, how she longed to hold her daughter in her arms and tell her she loved her and would never let her go. She knew it was too soon for her precious darling but how she wanted it so bad.

As she entered the room she saw Danielle perched on the edge of the bed, a white hoody in her arms and her pumps by her side, she smiled instantly when Danielle raised her head. "Could…would you mind, helping me?" Danielle shyly asked.

"No, I'd…I'd love to…" Ronnie immediately went over and assisted Danielle to fasten her shoes, something which she had never and would never take for granted. "All done" Ronnie smiled as she stood back up, a constant beam across her face.

"And…" Danielle shook her head, the nerves getting the better of her. She had snapped back to when she had first met Ronnie when she saw the questioning look appear on her mother's face. She was still the same Danielle, timid, shy and quiet Danielle Jones. "And…this please," she stuttered passing over the hoody to her mother; she felt so mortified that she – a grown woman – needed her mums assistance.

"Of course sweetie," Ronnie couldn't help but mother her child, the words slipping so effortlessly off her tongue – they felt so natural, just like she was meant to feel.

Carefully, she helped Danielle place her plastered arm into the sleeve before gently pulling it down and helping her daughter slide the garment on, this is what she should have always been doing; she couldn't edit the past but she could try and build a better future – for them both.

Ronnie smiled, "Ready?"


	18. Chapter 18

"So, stairs or lift?" Ronnie asked a timid Danielle as they left the hospital room. Her heart was pounding at such a speed as Danielle leant on her for support; this was so unreal, but yet so magical at the same time. At first, in her room, when Danielle she had tried to stand up her legs had given way and Ronnie rushed to support her, Danielle muttering about it was because she had stayed in bed too long. But Ronnie helped her little girl and gently wrapped an arm around her baby's torso, relishing in the feeling of finally holding her baby. This was what she had dreamed of and more for her life, this was real, this was her baby – her daughter.

Now, in the corridor adjacent to the room where so many feelings had been exposed, Ronnie placed a comforting hand on Danielle's shoulder, who gave a small grateful smile in return. As they walked along the corridor, step by step, Danielle pondered the question before replying, "Steps?" she questioningly replied. Ever since she was a little child, she had hated lifts, the feeling of enclosure and no way of escape, and even in her current state the steps seemed the natural option.

They turned a corner before Ronnie, motherly spoke to her child, "Are you sure? The lift would be easier…." She muttered before being interrupted by Danielle,

"I…I hate lifts," she woefully admitted, desperate not show her weaker side to the woman who had so many times broken her down and down. She gently bowed her head as goosebumps travelled up and down her body, not going unnoticed by Ronnie. Was she disappointing her mother? Letting her in too early?

"OK," Ronnie replied, moving her hair out of her face with a movement of her head, "The stairs it is," She smiled at Danielle before encouraging her daughter to keep moving. The moments previously, the tension had returned and Ronnie saw a flash of fear run through her daughter's eyes before she once again pulled them away. The same fear that had been there when she was about to throw her precious baby out, the same fear she had seen at the clinic and the week previously when she had shouted at her daughter for vandalizing her door.

She had seen it – she had caused it. Even when she was trying to be caring and like a mother, she still managed to push her daughter away. She hated herself for it – for everything. Her daughter was so perfect, so gentle, so caring yet she was so cruel, so separated and so hard. She pushed people away, she didn't let them in and she, she had caused this to happen. Deep down she knew it, she had caused this pain, inflicted it upon her little girl, she had hurt her over and over again, and breaking her to this timid teenager she saw in front of her.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Danielle paused – slightly scared by the usually day to day task of walking downstairs but a mammoth one to her today. She could feel her legs wobbling and becoming weaker as she stood there. All the strength she had had, was now evaporating before her eyes; her legs becoming more unstable by the second. She sighed loudly before she felt Ronnie's fingers running across her shoulder and Ronnie's face close in on hers.

"I'll be here, just take your time baby," Ronnie was unable to stop the mothering words slip out of her mouth, they felt so natural upon her tongue that she had no control over them. She had longed to say them to her baby for years and now her baby was with her, she was talking to her and letting her hold her; she couldn't have it all could she?

Danielle nodded at her mother's words; they were so perfect, the right words to say, the words she wished Ronnie had said to her for the past seven months. She sank her teeth into her lip before carefully putting one foot in front of the other and letting it fall to the floor. Ronnie had edged her nearer to the handrail, which Danielle immediately grabbed as her foot landed on the first step.

She let out a sighed laugh as she realised how pathetic her worries were before gently placing the other foot down. The laugh, although quiet, was music to Ronnie's ears and made her face break into a smile before it softly faded away. Ronnie followed her daughter in quick pursuit, her hand still adjoined to her daughter on the hip and shoulder.

Danielle's confidence grew quickly with Ronnie by her side as they moved down the stairs. Ronnie felt elated that her daughter had managed to do something quite daunting with her aid, and was just about to talk to her daughter and hear that ever beautiful voice when Danielle slipped from her grasp ever so slightly.

Panic rose in Danielle's body as she felt Ronnie's hands slip away, her feet slipping on the freshly cleaned step. Her face froze with fear as she imagined herself falling down the flight of stairs, and her eyes locked on Ronnie's the worry and fear escaping. Ronnie immediately moved her arms around Danielle's body, seeing the scared look her daughter had given her in that split second, and stopped her from falling, wrapping her arms tightly around Danielle's small and fragile body.

Danielle grabbed onto the handrail, as Ronnie helped her up, sighing as she realised that she was safe once more. "Are you ok?" Ronnie whispered to Danielle, before releasing her hand from Danielle's shoulder and placing it on the soft skin of her daughter's cheek. She felt a stray tear roll across her knuckles as she looked into Danielle's watery eyes. Danielle nodded as a few more tears leaked from behind her eyes; she didn't even have the courage to wipe them away as she kept a firm hold on the handrail.

Ronnie used her thumb and gently collected the tears, as she smiled at Danielle, seeing the pain and confusing that was across her face. She wanted so much to take that away, to hold it in her body and make her daughter happy and confident once again. She needed to see her daughter like that; she didn't want a constant reminder of the pain and hurt she had caused.

"It happens to all of us sweetie, its ok," Ronnie whispered as she wiped away the tears that continued to fall. Danielle couldn't control the flow of tears at Ronnie's comforting words, they were everything she had wanted them to be and Ronnie was being everything she needed to be. "Oh, come here baby," Ronnie whispered again as the tears continued to fall. She pulled herself towards her daughter, gently embracing her as Danielle wrapped her remaining hand around Ronnie's back. They both closed their eyes as they held one another tight; this was what they had both wanted. This is what life was meant to be.


	19. Chapter 19

**So sorry I haven't updated in ages, it's because I've been so busy! Hope this makes up for it, as I posted it on what would have been Danielle's 21****st**** Birthday! Enjoy.**

As they reached the entrance to the café, Ronnie guided a scared Danielle to a seat before gently helping her sit down. Seconds later, she also took a seat opposite her daughter, trying to catch her baby's attention with her crystal blue eyes. Moments before, she had felt Danielle in her arms and it felt like the most natural thing in the world, she had longed for it to never end and for her daughter to be lying in her arms, looking for the comfort and protection Ronnie desperately wanted to provide.

Ronnie beamed as Danielle's eye caught hers for a split second, before Danielle pulled her eyes away again, her checks blushing with colour as she fiddled with her fingers. Ronnie's smile fell as Danielle once again closed herself off, it was so hard but so simple. They were mother and daughter. They were together. Just like it always should have been but nothing was right, everything was damaged and her daughter's feelings and anxieties were oh-so-evident in her timid and drawn beautiful face.

"Do…do you want something to drink Danielle?" Ronnie muttered as she desperately tried to make things as they were in the hospital room. Her daughter had finally relieved a bit of her previous spark and she was relaxing in her mothers company but now, now they were back to the beginning, where every move could potentially shatter their fragile relationship.

"Erm," Danielle whispered as she raised her head, sweeping away her greasy blonde hair from her face. "I'll have some water," she managed before adverting her eyes from Ronnie's. She felt mortified at what had happened on the stairs, she was so weak and pathetic and she could tell that Ronnie knew it. She wasn't strong, she wasn't pretty, she wasn't even clever, she was just ordinary Danielle. Daughter of Ronnie Mitchell, who was so sophisticated, so beautiful, so strong.

"Are you sure? You can have a coffee or some orange juice. Or even some coke, I checked with the doctor," Ronnie questioned quietly, not wanting to put her daughter under and pressure or make her uncomfortable but she wanted to see her daughter lively and open, she wanted to know these things, her baby's favourite drink, her favourite cake, colour. Everything. "Danielle, please talk to me," she whispered as no reply was given. She reached out her hands and placed them on her daughter's who immediately froze under Ronnie's touch. "Please," Ronnie pleaded once more.

"I just….I…"Danielle mumbled under her breath, unsure of whether to open up to her mother, her saviour, the woman who meant so much, who was her rock. The next words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them and continued to fall as the seconds past, "It's just you're so beautiful, so so beautiful and I'm just plain and pathetic. I'm not good enough for you and Archie knew it, that's why he lied. He lied," she repeated in a whisper, "I can't even walk downstairs," she pitied herself as she cringed at her actions. _Who'd want a daughter like her?_

Danielle looked up at her mother as silence fell between the pair; she saw something in Ronnie's eyes that hadn't been there before. Hurt? Pain? Disappointment? She wasn't sure and didn't want to hazard a guess for the pain of rejection and hurt was becoming all too much. She let out a pitied laugh, almost silent, as she dropped her eyes as Ronnie didn't reply before snatching her hands from under her mum's. She had opened up too soon, she had let her mum hear some of her deepest thoughts and she didn't even deserve a reply. She really was pathetic.

Ronnie sat for a few seconds processing what her daughter had told her, how did she explain that her daughter was the most important thing to her without pressuring her daughter or pushing her further away? How did she explain that she needed her, wanted her? Maybe it was worth a try? She could let Danielle in, unlock the key to her heart and show the love she had for her daughter, how much love and protection she wanted to give her precious Danielle who she had hurt so much in the past.

"Danielle, I'm not strong," Ronnie whispered back, desperate not to be overheard by any passersby and only let her daughter in, she only needed to let her daughter in, let her understand, "I'm weak, I'm weak and lonely and scared. I have been since I was 14, it's all an act Danielle, and I've been so lost without you and know that you're here….I just, I don't want anything to go wrong, I need you Danielle, I need you," She reached out her hand once again as Danielle willingly let her mum hold her hand, and began cradling her daughter's hand in her own, relishing in the physical contact once more and feeling the warmth radiating from her daughter.

"When my dad told you had died, it tore me up. I couldn't think straight, I…I…everything became so dark. Maybe I'd have noticed you before, realised who you were. I feel so ashamed I didn't know, I didn't know." She shook her head in guilt before raising it once more and letting her tear glistened eyes meet with the beautiful brown eyes of her baby, her little girl, "I always said I'd know but I didn't. I didn't and it tears me up that you were hurting and I wasn't there comforting you because that's what I want to do, I want to hold you and tell you how I feel. I want to be there to protect you and be your mum." Ronnie finished with a little sob before trying, but failing, to hold her tears back. She closed her eyes for only a second before opening them to see Danielle's perfect face staring exquisitely back at her.

"I understand it might not be what you want, and I can deal with that…just…but I want you to know how I'm feeling and to let you know that I'm always here for you baby, always," she whispered as a smile formed across her face as Danielle gently squeezed Ronnie's hand back.

It was such a big thing for her mum to say to her, let alone from Ronnie Mitchell. It was what she needed to hear, what she wanted to hear and it made her heart thud in her chest at the excitement building up inside her. It was real, it really was. Her mum, Ronnie Mitchell, wanted her, she really did and the feeling Danielle was experiencing was overwhelming. She wasn't ready to forget just yet, but at the moment she wanted to live every second as it came and with an admission like that, she was happy to let Ronnie in to her thoughts for a few hours.


	20. Chapter 20

**Once again, I'm so sorry for the lack of updates but I hope this makes up for it! Let me know what you think!**

As the two drinks were placed on the table, Danielle couldn't help but smile. Her hand was encased between Ronnie's – between her mums sending pulses of nerves but also happiness throughout her body. The black coffee and orange juice was placed between the two of them, before Ronnie noticed the small smile that had emerged from Danielle's mouth.

"What?" she joyfully questioned after the waitress had left the table, unable to keep her eyes off her daughter for even a second. This is what she had dreamt of for so long and here she was, here her little girl was. Her daughter, her own flesh and blood, her Amy, her Danielle. The tension between them had evaporated to leave a more relaxed Danielle and an ecstatic Ronnie, who was savouring every second that passed with her baby.

"Nothing," Danielle shyly moved her eyes from Ronnie's, slightly embarrassed that her mother had seen her so gormfully smiling. Her eyes moved to their entwined hands, so similar in colour and shape and so perfectly matched. Ronnie was, subconsciously, ever so gently moving her fingers over Danielle's drawing small circles with the tips of her fingers. However small these movements it instantly made Danielle feel less tense.

"Go on," Ronnie cheekily demanded, as she let out a beaming smile. Her daughter was so adoringly cute, when she blushed. She was so childlike and innocent, so like Ronnie should have seen her had she grown up where she should have.

Danielle shifted her eyes from their hands to Ronnie's face before speaking quietly, her nerves, although there, were not as pronounced as earlier in the day. The opening up to one another had made them leave and made her confidence return ever so slightly, and she had said things she had never dreamed she would say to her mother.

"It's just, you…you order that everyday from the caf," Danielle replied as she ran a hand through her hair, gently tugging at the knots that had formed.

Ronnie let out a sighed laugh, as she couldn't contain the smile that graced her own face, "Well I am a creature of habit," she joked as she tilted her head to one side, letting her hair flow from her back to across her shoulder, "You must be too, to know that I get it _every_ day," Ronnie smiled, desperate to find something that they shared, something they had in common and could start a conversation.

Feeling her smile fall, Danielle pulled away her hand. She hated herself for pulling away again, for closing up and pushing the one person who really mattered away but it had to be done. How could she admit to her mother that for the past seven months she had gone to the café to catch a glimpse of Ronnie, to just see her face and hear her voice? It was what had kept her going, even through the devastation and hurt.

Ronnie would think she was some sort of stalker, some deranged girl who had spent seven months wanting to spend time in the arms of this women and just hear comforting words spoken from her mouth. She'd think she was some sort of freak and once again reject her little girl, who so desperately needed her mum at this moment in time.

Simultaneously, Ronnie felt her own heart fall as her little baby once again pull away and closed herself off. Everything was so hard, so desperately hard but yet Ronnie was determined to try every option to help her daughter become confident once again. She was never sure what she had done; if she had said something wrong, done something wrong or even looked at her daughter the wrong way.

She knew how fragile her daughter was, how much pain and suffering she had gone through and she wished she could take it all away and take her daughter's place. She wished she could read her baby's thoughts, help her understand that she never meant to push her away of hurt her.

"Sorry Ronnie," Danielle muttered, once again cursing herself for being so pathetic, and closing her mother off.

Ronnie tucked her own hair behind her ear, before she spoke, gently reaching out her hands so they were closer to her daughter's body. The two drinks remained untouched between them, so far apart but yet so close at the same time. "It's ok, you don't have to apologise for anything," Ronnie soothed, carefully making her voice quiet and gentle trying to make her daughter open up and realise that she could trust her.

An awkward silence fell between the pair for a few moments as Ronnie tried to coax her daughter to open up, before Danielle bravely started to speak, "I'm not like you," she whispered, as Ronnie listened intently, not daring to move an inch. "I don't go to the café every morning for a drink…I…I went…" The next few words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them, "I went to see you," she admitted before bowing her head in embarrassment.

Blinking back tears, Ronnie felt another load of guilt fall straight through her body as she heard her precious baby speak. She had been so desperate and there all the time, but yet been as selfish as she was, Ronnie hadn't noticed. She hadn't noticed for seven whole months, seven whole months her baby had been there, had always been there and she had been too caught up in her own problems to realise the problems she was creating for her daughter.

She had taken her own daughter for an abortion, an abortion – her own grandchild. She blamed herself for everything, every problem that had occured. She had encouraged it, told her baby to have one and said the most hurtful and unnecessary things, breaking her daughter again and again.

"Oh, Danielle," Ronnie whispered, tucking a stray piece of Danielle's hair behind her ear, "I'm so sorry, so sorry,"

"I should have told you who I was," Danielle whispered in return, not even daring to move her head. She felt Ronnie's hand glide ever so carefully past her skin, making her stomach do somersaults inside. Her mother was so perfect, and here she was making physical contact with her own little girl, her baby.

"No," Ronnie immediately replied, how could her little baby blame herself? She, herself, was the one to blame, she should have known. She was the elder one, the mother of this child and she should have known - this was her daughter! "I should have known, I should've realised. He was such a liar, he lied about everything," she shook her head in disbelief and disgust at her father's actions; he was a liar, a disgusting liar who didn't deserve the air that he breathed. "He kept us apart Danielle, he kept you from me. He was so spiteful and cruel, but I should've known. I shouldn't have let you down; I'm so sorry, so sorry baby,"

"I lied, I lied about everything," Danielle whispered as she gradually rose her head, "Who I was, taking those letters, the…the…" she swallowed hard but murmuring the final word, "abortion,"

"No sweetie, no," Ronnie shook her head as the words were spoken louder than she expected, she took Danielle's hand in her own, gently rocking it against her chest, "Nothing is your fault ok, its mine. I caused all the pain and hurt and encouraged you and I shouldn't have done I'm sorry. But he knocked you over Danielle and he held you in his arms when you should have been in mine, I'm your mum and I couldn't even protect you then…I'm your mum,"

Her eyes became a hazy flood of tears, as she fought to hold them back. She had to be strong for her baby, she had to be. She couldn't let her precious darling see her break down and be weak; she had to protect her baby.

Danielle gently wrapped her fingers around Ronnie's as they were held closer to her chest, she didn't want to let her mum down, she wanted to be strong and prove she was worthy of the Mitchell name. She didn't want to let anyone down and she didn't want to let her mum go. She was too reliant on her.

Ronnie smiled as wiped away the tears that flowed down her cheeks, gently rubbing her fingers over Danielle's hand and placing a tearful kiss on her baby's knuckles. "Thank you," she murmured as she closed her eyes and held Danielle's hand tight. This was everything; this was her baby, her Danielle, her world.

Within ten minutes, healthy chatter had fallen between the pair and they have decided to make their way outside for a few minutes of fresh air. Ronnie looped her arm through Danielle's and gently guided her to the exit, their hands still tightly adjoined.

A gust of wind hit the pair as they descended upon an empty bench just a few meters from the entrance. Danielle shivered as she sat down, the goosebumps spreading across her body.

This didn't go unnoticed by Ronnie, who quickly sat beside her daughter, "Do you want my jacket?"

"No," Danielle shook her head adamantly, "It's yours,"

Ronnie felt pride run through her veins at the caringness of her daughter, she was so kind and thoughtful, "Here," she said, removing her jacket, "Have it,"

"I…I can't Ronnie," Danielle whispered, but before she knew it, Ronnie had wrapped her in her jacket. The smell made Danielle's nostrils tingle; it was what she had dreamt of for so long. Extending her arm, Ronnie wrapped it around Danielle's shoulders, gently rubbing her hand up and down as she held Danielle close.

To an outsider, it would have looked like the classic mother and daughter relationship but in reality, it was only the foundations of what could become.


	21. Chapter 21

**Not sure if I like this chapter :S This will be the last one for about two weeks as I go on holiday tomorrow!**

Ronnie sat plaiting her daughter's hair as they sat on the hospital bad. The trip outside had been a refreshing change however it had soon worn Danielle out, and they had returned to the hospital room. The doctor had come in and informed them that Danielle would hopefully be able to leave tomorrow as long as she had a good night tonight.

"OK, it's all done," Ronnie boasted proudly, ecstatic that she had done something as simple as plait her daughter's hair and gotten it right. The nerves had spread through her body as she had started; worried that she would forget how to do a simple plait. Everything had to be right for her daughter; it was the least she deserved.

Danielle smiled gratefully, shyly muttering thanks as she did so. It had taken a lot of courage for her to ask Ronnie to help her feel more appropriate and feel better for the upcoming visit of Roxy and her best friend. But Ronnie had encouraged her daughter to open up and even the simple things, meant everything to her.

Twisting the ends of Danielle's hair around her fingers, Ronnie felt elated. This was everything and more that she had always dreamed of, her little girl was perfect; she was so childlike and innocent. It was wonderful.

Conversation had died down between the two but the tension was less evident in the atmosphere. The two women simply sat on the bed, listening to each other's breathing as silence fell between them.

Danielle traced her finger along the pot encasing her left arm, shuddering as she did so. Her confused expression mirrored her feelings, not sure what to do or say. Sure, every so often everything seemed perfect; Ronnie was perfect and always said the right things but then that died away and the two strangers were left in the silence once again.

Danielle wished she knew what to say, she wished her and Ronnie could talk for hours about endless things – getting to know one another but at the moment she knew that wasn't possible. However, the silence between them wasn't tense, it was a comfortable silence in which they could both just sit in a daydream that couldn't and wouldn't burst.

Feeling her daughter shudder, Ronnie moved in closer to whisper something but recoiled as she saw Danielle flinch away from her. It hadn't been deliberate, more in shock than in anything else but it didn't stop Danielle feeling let down with herself once again. She was worried that she would do something and it would push Ronnie too far and she would leave once again.

She felt her face flush with red as she bravely raised her eyes. They connected with Ronnie's face instantly, whose smile had been replaced with one of confusion. Cowardly pulling them away, Danielle muttered another apology under her breath.

"Hey," Ronnie whispered, confused at Danielle's reaction but understanding at the same time. If she were Danielle, she wouldn't be letting her mother in so close. Ronnie felt she didn't even deserve the title of Danielle's mother, treating her own daughter like dirt and badmouthing her to the rest of the family. She had been there every minute possible since the accident but it still didn't feel like enough, nothing would ever be enough – no matter how many times she apologized to her daughter. "It's ok,"

"No," Danielle replied back, "It isn't," her voice was timid as she spoke, crossing her legs under the bed sheets and darting her eyes everywhere around the room, everywhere except her mother. She took a momentary pause before she spoke again, her voice jittery with nerves, "I…I just don't know …how to be, what you want me to be like…," She took a deep breath before continuing, "I want to act like you want me to act…I just…I want you to like me for me, not just for being…for being who I am,"

Danielle felt immensely proud of herself after she had finished speaking; it was unusual for her not to tell somebody everything but since…since certain incidents in her life she had chosen to be more closed off, more separate and alone. More like her mother.

Jumping in to let her daughter know her true intentions, Ronnie started speaking, tripping over her words as she did so, desperate for them just to be heard, "I…Just because you're family doesn't mean I like you,"

Staying frozen to the spot where she sat, Danielle didn't dare move a muscle or make a sound as Ronnie spoke. She sounded so serious, so stern but yet so loving, so motherly like. She prayed she would hear the words she wanted to hear, she wished that Ronnie would once again show that she could place a small bit of trust in her and let their relationship grow. She sank her teeth into her lip as she sat there, nervously waiting for what her mum was about to say.

"Roxy really pushes me sometimes," Ronnie shared another detail of her past with her beloved daughter, desperate to open herself up in the hope her daughter would return the action, "but you're my baby, my Amy, _my Danielle_,"

Danielle felt a small smile escape her mouth as the words Ronnie spoke floated through her body. Ronnie had called her "her Danielle". The words she had waited for, for so long and yet however much she had dreamed about this moment nothing could quite match how perfect they sounded coming from Ronnie's mouth.

Coughing, Ronnie cleared her throat, before cautiously reaching out a hand and once again twisting Danielle's hair around her finger. She longed to see her daughter's reaction but instead, had to call upon her memories of her daughter, to try and understand and picture her daughter's reactions. She hoped she was saying the right things.

"I don't just like you, I love you. I love all the smiles you show and how you get little dimples when you do. I love how you look at me with your eyes and how you're so caring and gently. I love how beautiful you are and how thoughtful you are," Ronnie reeled off a list of everything she could think of in that moment, desperately hoping she was saying the right things, "I love everything about you," she whispered, "I want you to be you because I am so proud of you and I can't explain how much this means to me, how much you mean to me,"

A smile faded across Danielle's face, relishing in every word, every syllable, Ronnie was saying. She was beyond perfect.

Allowing her hair to fall across her shoulder as she tilted her head, Ronnie too smiled. She saw her daughter's cheeks rise slightly and instantly knew she had said the right things. Her heart was in her stomach as she watched her daughter simply sit there and take everything in.

Breaking the silence between them, Ronnie whispered, "So, do you like cheese?"

Feeling her face break into a huge smile, Danielle swiveled her head, her eyes brows raised and her face confused. Awestruck by her daughter's beauty, Ronnie's face also broke into a grin.

"Cheese?" Danielle questioned, confused at her mother's choice of questions. Of all questions she could have asked, she asked one about cheese? Maybe she wasn't so perfect after all…

Ronnie raised her head, flicking her hair behind her, "Yeah, I saw it on F.R.I.E.N.D.S once, I think" Ronnie justified, as a permanent grin remained plastered on her face, much to Danielle's bemusement who giggled as her mother attempted an explanation. "So do you like it?" Ronnie asked once again, her grin widening as eh heard Danielle giggle.

"I guess so," Danielle giggled, as she watched Ronnie's face light up, tears of joy forming in her eyes like shining crystals in the light.

"What kind?" Ronnie joked, as she beamed at the amusement passing between the two of them, "Bree? Cheddar? Slices?"

Danielle burst into a fit of giggles, as she felt Ronnie's hand wrap around her own. She could hear the sweet laughter of her mother and she hoped that there would be many more times, like this, to follow.


	22. Chapter 22

As visiting hours started, Stacey quietly knocked on the door before loudly opening it. Of course she was looking forward to seeing her best friend but yet, she was nervous about what Danielle would have to say about Ronnie. All the dreams Danielle had had, all the hopes and wishes she had shared with Stacey could have all just been that, a dream that with every second slowly faded away.

She knew that Danielle couldn't cope with much more rejection and she was all ready to tell Veronica Mitchell this. The ice queen. In the taxi journey here, she had planned everything she was going to shout into her face, even down to the tone of her voice. She would shout about how much this woman had hurt her best friend and how much she owed to this fragile woman. It was all her fault that Danielle was here, she would repeat whilst jabbing her finger into Ronnie's face.

This would all happen, given of course, that Ronnie had stayed and not given up on the relationship before it had even begun.

However as she opened the door, she was faced with a scene of adoration. A scene that could melt even the cruelest person's heart. Hand in hand with her mother, Danielle was giggling away, the spark that had long gone was finally resurfacing. Next to her, Ronnie had the largest grin on her face, her face full of joy and her eyes transfixed on her daughter.

Both women turned to look at Stacey, who was stood mouth agape, at the doorway. Her curly brown hair lay on her shoulders and in her hand was a bag, presumably full of things for Danielle. Within seconds, Stacey had shut her mouth, trying to cover up her embarrassment and closed the door behind her.

She cleared her throat with a little cough before speaking, "Hey," she walked across the room, pulling up the spare chair and placing it on the opposite side of the bed to Ronnie.

"Hi," Danielle smiled, as she diverted her attention from one woman to the other. Danielle shifted awkwardly as she saw Stacey watch Ronnie's every move, the awkwardness returning between her and her mother as somebody popped the bubble they were so carefree in.

Desperately trying not to say anything, Ronnie bit her lip. She knew that this was to be expected. She knew that Danielle would act different around other people – act more like herself – especially around Stacey, but she had hoped that she had finally seen the real Danielle. Not the scared, timid child she had broken time and time again.

She quickly realised that she had only seen a glimpse of her child, a small segment of her broad personality. She was so disappointed in herself for not realising and here, those thoughts were more prominent as she heard the idle chatter of Danielle and Stacey, the stories and memories they were talking about. She felt rude listening, but she couldn't help herself, she needed to learn more about her daughter.

Talk of Jean and the other Slaters, how things were going on the stall, how Danielle was feeling were the things she was hearing. She felt even ruder listening to talk like that, it wasn't things she was supposed to hear - it was talk between the two of them, even if it was things you could mistakenly overhear in the square.

After sitting silently for a few minutes waiting for a pause in the conversation, Ronnie finally found a gap to talk. She wasn't sure how to put the words or sentences together without Danielle thinking she meant something else. "Danielle," she managed before pausing.

As Danielle moved her head, her face full of expectations, Ronnie's face broke into a grin. Forgetting what she was about to say, she simply just sat there looking at her daughter. She swore that every time she looked at her, she noticed something different, another freckle or another dimple.

"Finish your sentence…" Stacey snapped after a few seconds. She wasn't totally convinced by how Ronnie was acting, Danielle might be able to see through all the smiles and looks but Stacey was much wearier. Maybe there was a motive - maybe Ronnie was planning on hurting Danielle once more or planning on leaving her once Danielle trusted her, but Stacey wasn't trusting Ronnie Mitchell one bit. She never trusted a Mitchell.

Danielle shot her a glance of annoyance, before turning back to look at Ronnie.

Flustered, Ronnie apologized before taking a deep breath. To everyone else, it was nothing, something that inevitably happened, but to Ronnie and Danielle – it was a move that could break them, that could destroy the relationship they had built over the past couple of hours.

"Danielle," Ronnie once more said, "I'm going to give you two a bit of space and visit the shop. Is there anything that you want?" Ronnie let out a sigh of relief as she finished her sentence. She was so scared of saying the wrong thing and hurting Danielle once more – she would do anything to stop her daughter feeling an ounce of pain.

Danielle shook her head before whispering a no.

"Ok," Ronnie whispered in return, before reluctantly pulling away her hand from Danielle's. It felt so empty. She stood up before turning away, unsure of how to say goodbye. She settled on a smile as she reached the door, and subsequently left the room.

Danielle couldn't help but feel disappointed and anxious about what had just happened, Ronnie had just left without even a hug or a goodbye. She tried to tell herself that she was just been stupid, been silly and that Ronnie really was only going to the shop but she couldn't get rid of the niggling feeling inside that was telling her that was it; Ronnie was gone.

"I can't believe you were so rude to her Stace," Danielle immediately said as the door was shut. "What's she going to think now?" The worry was eating her up inside and Ronnie had only been gone a few seconds, which is what made Danielle worry even more; what if Ronnie had really gone, how would she cope then?

"What?" Stacey questioned, "She was just sat there looking at you! If I 'adn't of said anything, who knows when it would of ended!"

"But now she'll think you're really rude!" Danielle justified as she flopped her hands down onto the duvet. Nothing made sense anymore, nothing. At least when Ronnie was been cruel, Danielle understood, but now, now everything was so confusing, so demanding of her brain and thoughts. She wished everything was simpler

"Who cares what Ronnie thinks?" Stacey blurted out, knowing full well that Danielle would respond – Stacey knew more than anyone that Danielle cared, beyond cared, what Ronnie thought. "Ok, ok" Stacey said in reply to an un-amused look Danielle shot at her, "How's it going anyway between you two?"

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've been struggling with these filler chapters. However next chapter should be up tomorrow :)**


	23. Chapter 23

Ronnie stood tapping her foot as she stood in front of a stand of magazines; which one would Danielle choose? The celebrity ones? TV ones? Fashion ones? She had no idea. Eventually, she decided to buy the lot, as well as the endless chocolate bars, drinks and packets of crisps she held in her hands.

As she place the lot, rather awkwardly, on the counter the old woman behind the till smiled at her, "Buying for someone special are you?" she commented as she scanned the food through the till and placed it in a bag on the other side.

"For my daughter," Ronnie replied instantly. It sent flutters every time she thought the word. Her daughter. Her Danielle, her baby. She was hers, all hers.

"She's a very lucky girl," the woman replied, more out of obligation than anything else. She had no idea who this woman was or who her daughter was; it was much just friendly chatter.

Ronnie smiled, transfixed in a daydream as she stood there. Collecting her bag, after paying, she made her way back up to the ward, going up the stairs – reminding herself that Danielle didn't like lifts. Her mind was overflowing with thoughts and questions as she carefully opened the door leading to the ward. She squirted some anti-infection gel onto her hand and gently rubbed it in.

Danielle's face was fixed onto her mind. The look of afraidness, of worry and slight resentment at Ronnie for leaving; it broke her heart. She didn't want her daughter to worry or stress; she had to focus on getting better and Ronnie would worry about everything else. It was her job, as a mum.

She followed the horseshoe corridor around before perching herself on a chair, a few meters from the door of Danielle's room. Her face glanced at her watch. Quarter past five. She had been less than 10 minutes. It was too early to go back, wasn't it? She hoped Danielle was ok, and that Stacey wasn't being too harsh to her.

Stacey didn't like her, it was obvious but she hoped and wished that those feelings wouldn't rub off onto Danielle; Danielle had to like her, Ronnie needed Danielle to like her and trust her. After all the hard work of this afternoon, Ronnie finally felt like they were getting somewhere until bam! Their bubble was popped and they were back to square one. Ronnie feared that everyday would be like this, a new challenge that they would only succeed as the end of the day approached. How would Danielle react to the square when she was discharged tomorrow?

Her train of thoughts were interrupted by Doctor Gateshead, who approached Ronnie and sat down, silently, next to her.

"Miss Mitchell?"

"Sorry," Ronnie apologized as she snapped out of her thoughts, before gracefully turning her head to face the doctor. Her fingers twisted around the handle of the bag, a way of preoccupying herself and stopping her thoughts drifting to her daughter, her baby.

"I just wanted to inform you of the arrangements for Danielle's discharge tomorrow morning," he begun once he had the woman's full attention. Ronnie nodded as the doctor continued, "Providing that she has a good night tonight she should be discharged at about 10 tomorrow morning. I'll come round and check up on her before she leaves. She will have to come in as an outpatient on Tuesday to check how her arm is doing but other than that she should make a full recovery,"

Ronnie sat there, almost glumly, as the prospect of her daughter returning home. She was desperately looking forward to her daughters return but yet she was worried about what would happen when Danielle returned home. Would she even get to see her baby everyday? All the cruel things she had said must still be in Danielle's mind somewhere…and then there was the issue of Archie. Nobody had seen him since last night when he…he did this to her daughter.

"She'll be alright," the doctor smiled upon seeing Ronnie's expression, as he stood up ready to go. He took his pager out of his pocket and was fiddling around with it when Ronnie thanked him quietly.

"Oh, just one more thing," Doctor Gateshead said as he put the pager back into his left hand pocket, "Danielle is going to be moved at around six to a less dependent ward, just around the corner," he indicated with his hand to the left of where Ronnie was sitting. Before Ronnie had a chance to reply, the doctor made his apologies and left, leaving a shocked Ronnie sat there to take in the news by herself.

Inside the room, Danielle and Stacey were chatting quietly, "It's going ok," Danielle smiled, desperate to try and brush over the topic; it was between her and Ronnie, and her and Ronnie only. She loved Stacey but she loved Ronnie in a different way and even though she wasn't ready to admit it, she knew that's how she felt, but she didn't want to have to explain herself to anyone – not even Stacey, it was too complicated.

"Are you sure?" Stacey questioned, not quite believing what Danielle was telling her, "'Cause if not…"

Stacey didn't have time to finish her sentence before Danielle butted in, "Its fine Stace," She let out a rather unconvincing smile, "Now leave it, please,"

"Has she told you to say that? I mean it Dan, if she hurts you…" Stacey was trying to comfort her, Danielle knew that but it wasn't one of Stacey's strong points.

"No," Danielle lashed out, rather louder than she expected, she coughed slightly before lowering her tone, "No, don't say anything Stace – I mean it. Everything's going ok," she longed to tell Stacey how everything was, how perfect Ronnie was but she knew it wasn't a great idea – Stacey wouldn't believe it, and anyway Danielle wanted to keep this side of Ronnie to herself. It was selfish, she knew, but she had long craved for this affection, this love and now she had it, she didn't want to share it, to let anyone else know how perfect her mother really was.

Taking in a deep breath, Danielle was about to speak once more before Ronnie knocked on the door before slowly swinging it open. She smiled instantly at the sight of Danielle who, in return, flashed her smile at her mother. Both Stacey and Danielle watched intently as Ronnie came and sat down, trying – but failing, to place the bag of things down quietly. Danielle looked on curiously as the bag rustled alongside Ronnie's feet.

"Oh," Ronnie muttered as she saw where Danielle's attention was diverted, "It's just a few things I bought from the shop, magazines and sweets," She tilted her head to the side, allowing her hair to fall across her should, looking for the encouragement that she got something right again once more.

Danielle nodded, not really knowing who to look at or what to say. When she was in a room with either of them alone, she could manage, but together – Danielle had no idea what to do.

"The doctor said you can be discharged at around ten tomorrow," Ronnie broke the silence that had fallen between them, as Danielle nodded in acknowledgment once more.

"I'm working Dan," Stacey apologized as Danielle turned to her, "I'm sorry! I'll see if nan'll let me get out of it…"

"It's ok," Danielle interrupted her, "I mean…I'll see you when I get back to the Square won't I?" She was careful not to make any promises or plans to leave the hospital with Ronnie; it was new territory, that Danielle was too afraid to enter by herself.

"Of course," Stacey smiled at her best friend, before getting ready to leave, "Anyway, I better be going – mum's cooking tea!" Danielle let out a giggle, both her and Stacey knowing what would be for tea, "Let me know if there's any change in your plan!"

After hugging each other and endless goodbyes, Stacey finally left leaving Ronnie and Danielle alone together again.

**Thank you so much for the reviews! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I should have another chapter up tomorrow :) **


	24. Chapter 24

**Ok, so I said I'd update today and I have but I'm not totally happy with this chapter; it was quite difficult to write and it's shorted than I hoped it would be but I still hope you all enjoy it!**

"So what did you buy?" Danielle timidly asked once Stacey had left. She wished that everything was like it was before – before Stacey arrived. Everything had been so perfect, so natural, she had even heard Ronnie laugh – something which she had dreamed about and longed for since she first set her eyes on her mother.

_As she stepped out of the cab onto the tarmac below, her head was full of expectations and hope. She came here for one thing and one thing only. Her mother. Veronica Mitchell. She smiled to herself as she looked around the bustling square of London; it was so different to the quiet Telford._

_After paying the taxi driver, she made her way across to the fenced off green area in the center opposite a pub called the Queen Victoria. A blonde figure caught her eye as she perched herself on a bench. Swiveling her head to keep up with the speed of this woman's running, she immediately felt her breath hitch in her throat. There she was; her mother. The woman from the locket._

_She was so beautiful as the sun glistened against her blonde hair, her hair bouncing effortlessly off her back as she ran. Danielle contemplated approaching her but was so awestruck, she remained where she was. Soon enough, she saw a darker side to Ronnie shouting at a man she would later know as Jack Branning._

_She had looked so fierce, so untouchable. Maybe she would be like that if Danielle approached her? Maybe she would shout and hit her too? After all, it was Danielle coming searching for her mother, not the other way around…_

"Oh," Ronnie replied, snapping once again out a daydream she was having about her baby. As she spoke, she lifted the carrier bag onto the bed, the products emerging as she brought them out to lay flat on the bed, "Just some magazines and sweets, I thought….thought we could have," Ronnie smiled as she let her long blonde hair fall across her shoulder.

"Oh and I got this for you," she smiled as she placed a bottle of orange juice on the bed; it was so small, so insignificant, but to Danielle it meant so much. Only an hour earlier she had been drinking that exact drink and it mattered so much to her that Ronnie had remembered, remembered something – no matter how small.

"Thanks," Danielle gushed as she took the bottle in her hand and placed it on the bedside table to her right. She placed her hands together on the bedcovers as she looked down at her grubby nails, still covered in dirt, and having no idea what they could talk about. Her eyes glanced over the magazines sprawled across the bed.

"So how was Stacey?" Ronnie broke the silence upon the realization that Danielle was struggling; she could see her teeth biting at her lip and her concentration moving from one thing to another.

"She was ok, complaining about working on the stall," Danielle smiled, happy to have the attention diverted from herself; away from there relationship.

Ronnie smiled in reply, as she let out a sighed laugh. "The doctor came to talk to me outside…" Ronnie whispered the words; unsure of what Danielle's reaction would be.

She knew she wasn't happy about the situation; she had seen the wards further down the corridor – a room shared between four people and she didn't want her daughter in a room like that. She deserved so much more, she deserved everything that Ronnie could offer, she deserved the best.

It made her stomach squirm slightly, more out of selfishness than anything else. Of course she was worried about how Danielle would react but she was also worried about how much time she would get to spend with her daughter, worried about how Danielle would act with other people in the room together with them.

"He said…he said that you would be moved to another ward…tonight," Ronnie finished her sentence, rather apprehensively, before looking up at Danielle, desperate for that eye contact to reassure her daughter that everything would be ok.

Danielle sat twiddling her thumbs for a few moments, trying to take in the news. It was totally unexpected; she was happy in this room, comfortable with her surroundings and happy that she had Ronnie all to herself – there was nobody to disrupt them and they could talk, really talk, whilst they were alone. The worry inside her was eating her up; the worry that if she moved room's to share with other people then Ronnie wouldn't want to visit her or see her whilst there were other people in the room. It was the same feeling of dread she was feeling about tomorrow's departure from the hospital.

"Danielle," she whispered after gaining no reply, before bravely reaching out her hand and placing it on the underside of her daughter's chin. "Danielle," she repeated as she let her finger gradually raise her daughter's head; Danielle obediently raising it with every small movement from her mother.

Their eyes connected. Brown with blue. Mother's with daughter's.


	25. Chapter 25

Wheeling her daughter onto another ward, Ronnie bit her lip with apprehension. Although these people – these strangers – knew nothing about them or their situation it was still a daunting experience for both of them. The bag on her arm slipped down as she stopped to sort it out; Danielle looked back curiously from her seat in the wheelchair to look at her mother. She felt so useless sat in this chair and she couldn't help but see the resemblance between Ronnie pushing her in this and Lizzie pushing her in a pushchair when she was a child.

"Sorry," Ronnie stumbled as she saw Danielle looking at her rather awkwardly trying to juggle all the things in her hands. She had insisted that she carry everything, another way of proving to herself that she was capable of being a mum to this wonderful girl she was proud to call her daughter.

Danielle smiled shyly before she returned to face forwards. That was her mum, her mum. It felt weird to even think it and she hadn't dared speak it yet.

As they were instructed to Danielle's bed on the new ward, Danielle and Ronnie let out a sigh of relief as they looked around the four bed room. With one bed empty, there was only two other girls in the room alongside Danielle and both looked friendly enough.

Within ten minutes, Danielle had made herself comfortable on the bed and Ronnie had placed all of her daughter's belongings by the side, tucked away in a corner so nobody could see them. She pulled out the box of chocolates she had previously bought for her daughter and placed them on the side of the bed,

"Want one?" she asked softly as Danielle took her pick of one and ate it ever so carefully so as not to spill any of it on the bed. Ronnie smiled as she too ate one of the chocolates, watching ever so intently which chocolate her daughter picked up.

An awkward silence fell between them as the both tucked into the chocolates laid out in front of them, the awkwardness not helped by the fact that there were other patients and visitors in the room. Danielle looked away shyly as she placed another chocolate in her mouth, seeing her mother do the same thing from the corner of her eye.

She drifted her concentration to her arm, wrapped in the tight plaster, and traced her fingers along her forearm. She shuddered slightly as she thought back to when she had the IV drip placed in her arm.

"Is it hurting?" Ronnie questioned as she intently watched her daughter's every move.

"No," Danielle shook her head, as she removed her arm and diverted her attention to stretching out her legs on the bed. It had only been not even an hour since they had gone down to the café but already Danielle's legs felt like they were tightening up and needed a stretch out.

"Are you sure? I could get a doctor…"Ronnie continued before she was cut off by an adamant Danielle.

"I'm fine – really," Danielle stressed. She wasn't sure why things had become so difficult all of a sudden or why things had changed between them. Before, everything had been nice and tranquil and everything had flowed nicely but now the atmosphere had changed and things had become awkward again.

"Ok," Ronnie whispered in reply, not totally convinced. Before she had a chance to say anything else, a doctor came in followed by a policewoman. Danielle turned to them as Ronnie swallowed hard. Ronnie stretched out her hand to Danielle, once she saw the nervousness creep across her beautiful face. Danielle smiled gratefully before slipping her hand into Ronnie's.

"Hi, Miss Jones and Miss Mitchell," The policewoman spoke loudly and confidently as she stood by the side of the hospital bed, "I'm here to take your statements. Miss Jones, I'll take yours first please," she requested to an un-amused looking mother and daughter. "I'm afraid Miss Mitchell; you will have to wait outside,"

Ronnie sighed loudly before standing up from the chair she was sat on and gently squeezing Danielle's hand, "You'll be fine," she mouthed whilst nodding her head at her daughter. Danielle smiled back before removing her hand from her mothers.

As Ronnie left the room, the policewoman, who rudely didn't introduce herself, pulled the curtains around Danielle's bed, blocking her out from everyone. The feeling of emptiness returned as she left the ward and made her way subconsciously outside for a few minutes.

She sighed as she returned to the bench where she had sat with her daughter for a while, smiling as she thought back to the short memory she had. It had been a long day, a wonderful and inspiring day but a long one. She had learnt so much about her daughter but in reality she had learnt so little; so little of a lifetime of memories she wished she could get back.

She felt resentment to the policewoman upstairs who could spend time with her daughter without interruptions; it was unfair but fair at the same time. Ronnie shouldn't have to wait to spend time with her own child, she should have spent years with her, spent happy childhood memories and teenage outbursts with her.

Digging her phone out of her pocket, she began to dial Roxy's number and within seconds she was speaking to her sister, who by the sounds of it was trying to soothe a very rowdy baby Amy.

The first few minutes of their conversation was taken over by normal chatter, how Danielle was doing, when would she be coming home and various apologies from Roxy on how she couldn't attend the hospital that cloudy but unusually warm evening. Ronnie relished in telling Roxy how her daughter was doing, feeling like every other mother who doted on their first born.

"Aunty Peg's planning a family meal for tomorrow, big roast and everything!" Roxy chattered on after explaining the good news to the woman, who had become like a mother to the two sisters.

Ronnie felt her stomach become slightly queasy, unsure about the suggestion and how her precious baby would take it, before saying her goodbyes. Peggy wasn't somebody to argue with, especially over her family meals, and the situation was made a whole lot worse by the fact she wouldn't take no for an answer. Roxy had mentioned Peggy feeling like it was her fault and that Danielle would be in for a great Mitchell welcome when she returned home and Ronnie was sure, that the news wouldn't go down to well with her baby…

**Sorry for not updating in a while; I got my results yesterday and I was stressing out all week! I'm so happy with them though! **

**I'm sorry about how awful this chapter was but I had to post it so I could move the story on! Hopefully another chapter should be posted tomorrow and "Can we make this work" should be updated as well!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	26. Chapter 26

Less than an hour later, and with both women's police statements having been taken; Danielle was more than a little bit tired. It had been almost 12 hours since she had slept and even though she had spent most of the day in bed she was still exhausted. She let out a stifled yawn as she snuggled more into the bed covers.

Gently stroking her daughter's hairline, Ronnie was aiding Danielle's need to sleep. They hadn't had much time to talk since they had moved rooms – even since Stacey's visit – but no words were needed as they both remained in their own little bubble.

Ronnie had helped Danielle get comfortable and remove the hoody she was wearing before helping her under the thin duvet, taking extra care to insure that her broken arm was laid carefully. And now, as Danielle leant on her left side and shut her eyes for a moment, feeling blissfully happy as Ronnie played with her hair and sat by her side, the two women remained in a silence that neither one of them wanted to break.

The two other occupants in the room were no problem and despite causing a small amount of tension, their presence wasn't recognized.

After a few seconds, Danielle opened both her eyes, staring inquisitively at her mother before whispering, "Did Roxy not want to come?"

Ronnie looked at her daughter for a few moments, awestruck by her beauty and child like innocence, before shaking her head and whispering her reply. "Amy was playing up… she would have come but…" Ronnie tried to make us excuses for her family, she didn't know why – Roxy should have come even if Amy was playing up, Danielle depended on her. She wanted her family to make her daughter feel welcome.

"She didn't want to…to cause any problems with Amy," Ronnie let out a small smile at the end, trying with all her heart to reassure her daughter. Although she could tell she hadn't fully succeeded, Danielle gave in and once again closed her eyes.

"She'll see you tomorrow, when we get back home," Ronnie continued to reassure her daughter once again. Home – a place they both knew but yet they were so different. They had their own homes – separately. Danielle listened intently, even in her dreamy state, and opened her eyes for a second – hoping to catch one more image of her mother before she fell asleep.

Her cheeks flooded with colour as she quickly shut her eyes when she realised Ronnie was still staring at her. She felt her injured hand been taken into Ronnie's as she subconsciously let out a smile as she felt her mother's touch. It still felt so unreal, so new but yet it felt so perfect at the same time, so naturally perfect…

Ronnie rubbed her thumb gently over Danielle's knuckles, soothing her daughter as she smiled to herself.

"You wrapped this hand around my thumb just after you were born," Ronnie whispered dreamily, "You were so tiny…so fragile. I thought I was going to break you," Ronnie let out a sighed laugh as she thought back to the day, all those years ago.

"You were so perfect, I know every parent says it but you were. You were so quiet and you just looked at me and you didn't move, I smiled at you and you snuggled into me," Shaking her head fondly at the memory she had to keep inside for so long, to protect herself from any more hurt, she felt so relieved to finally share it with the girl who meant so much.

"I couldn't believe you had grown inside me for so long," Ronnie whispered as she brought Danielle's injured hand up to her face. Gently running a finger down the plaster she delicately placed a kiss on the top of Danielle's hand before gently lowering it back down.

Within minutes, tiredness had overcome Danielle as Ronnie carried on chatting ever so quietly and soon the young woman was asleep. Smiling to herself, Ronnie gently kissed Danielle's hand once more.

Her tranquility was interrupted by a nurse stood at the doorway watching the exchange between the pair, who walked forward to speak to Ronnie who was worriedly watching, afraid that the police hadn't left them alone for long.

"Sorry Miss Mitchell but the visiting hours are over; they start again at 8.30am tomorrow," she seemed friendly enough but Ronnie didn't seen impressed as she requested another 5 minutes with her daughter. Reluctantly, the nurse agreed and left the two women alone as she checked on the girls on the other side of the ward.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then Danielle," Ronnie whispered to her sleeping baby, she looked so innocent, so pristine in her dreams. "I wish I could stay with you, you know that don't you? I just….I just want to say how sorry I am Danielle. I know I've said it before but I truly am sorry," Ronnie sniffed back the tears in her eyes as she kept her eyes on her daughter, watching her chest rise with every breath she took.

It really was like a miracle that her daughter, her baby daughter, was here with her.

"I should have known, and when you're ready to…to let me know how you really feel, I'll be here and you can shout at me and hit me and tell me what a useless mum I am because you deserve better than me Danielle," Ronnie shook her head as she spoke, gently squeezing Danielle's hand for comfort as she spoke, "It's hard for me to say but…after….after what I did…I mean you're so perfect and caring and I wish I was more like you,"

"I can't wait to spend the day with you tomorrow, I mean…just a full day with you means everything to me and you could come to the club and help me, or we could stay in and watch a DVD or we could go to Peggy's family meal if you… feel up to it," Ronnie rambled on, and before she knew it the five minutes were up. The nurse reappeared and was ushering Ronnie to say her goodbyes quickly and leave.

Giving her daughter one last kiss, Ronnie gently placed the two lockets on the side of her daughter's bed. She hoped that Danielle would realise that she would come back, she was so worried about how Danielle perceived her and her actions but she knew all she could do was try her best. No way on earth was she waking her own sleeping beauty.

Taking one last look at her daughter before walking away, Ronnie smiled to herself. She had a feeling that despite their initial problems, her and Danielle they really would be ok.


	27. Chapter 27

**Sorry for the long delay once again, I really wanted to make sure this chapter was perfect and it took me a couple of days to write! Let me know what you think :) **

The Square was eerily quiet as Ronnie left the cab. The journey home had been awful, and before they left Ronnie had second thoughts about leaving – could she really leave her darling Danielle: alone in a foreign environment. But she had left, and she felt awful for it. What if Danielle woke up and she thought Ronnie had left her again? What would happen if something happened during the night? _I'd never be able to live with the guilt. _Ronnie told herself time and time again as she wrestled with the emotions pouring out her mind and heart.

She wished she'd had somebody to occupy her mind in the car – Roxy, Peggy or even Jack. She'd caught the driver staring at her oddly a few times as she smiled out of the window, thinking back to the small but wonderful times she had shared with her child throughout the day. She tried to keep her mind focused on the happy memories and drift away from the times when Danielle had pulled away and the times she fought against her instinct to hold her baby, to mother her and tell her everything was going to be ok.

As she walked past the Vic; she paused, momentarily, as she looked up at the place which she had called home for so long. Only hours ago had she screamed things at her daughter, unforgivable things – cruel and spiteful things that were a cover to her own pain but opening the wounds of her precious baby. She shuddered as she thought back to all the memories she had shared with Danielle inside that building; she had hurt her daughter beyond badly and now, now she had to build up the trust which she had so cruel fully destroyed. Oh how she wished she could turn back time and take all those words back and release who Danielle was.

Her wondering mind soon focused to the proposed family meal the next day.

As much as she looked forward to family meals, she was also filled with dread. Something always happened at one to upset another family member and she was worried - beyond worried – that that person may just be her daughter. Not intentionally obviously, but it was still a risk that Ronnie daren't take, not yet.

Inside the café, Ronnie stood inline and soon enough it was her turn to order. Smiling to herself, she relieved the memory of earlier in the day when she had spent time inside the hospital café with Danielle, remembering every expression she made and how heartbreaking it was for her daughter to reveal her plight of the past seven months. As Ian Beale took her order, he smirked at her.

"So is it true?" He questioned as he wrote down the order on a notepad.

Ronnie narrowed her eyes at him not giving him a response as she thrust the money into his open palm. She calmly moved away from the counter to wait for her drink to be ready, breathing heavily to keep her anger, which was boiling away under the surface, controlled. Her eyes wondered around the café, which was running at its usual pace with a steady stream of customers, the majority of who remained inside the café on the cold chilly night.

"How did you manage to keep her quiet all these months? Pay her off?" The stare of the locals was now fixed on the two having, what Ronnie hoped wouldn't become, a heated exchange. She closed her eyes for a second, picturing her daughter and telling herself that she had to think about Danielle now – she had to prove she had changed. The odd smile Ronnie had shown her made her whole body glow and her heart pound in her chest – this situation was real, her daughter was real, Danielle was her daughter.

"Send her away did you?" Ian asked once more as Ronnie turned around, her face laced with a look of thunder. How dare he make accusations? How dare he even speak about her daughter like that? She was worth a hundred of him.

Before the argument could become any more public Jane stepped in, ushering Ian away from the till and apologizing to Ronnie. Her eyes darted around the room and the locals were whispering away – presumably about the incidents of the past couple of days. The locals liked to gossip, in fact they loved to gossip, it was like second nature to them and Ronnie knew it – she'd been there.

Within seconds, Ronnie had fled the café and perched herself on Arthur's bench. She sighed heavily as she looked up the stars shining in the dark sky. She placed her head heavily in her hands, sighing once again. How had things come to this? Ronnie running away from Ian Beale? But she had to prove she had changed – things weren't just about her, they were about her and Danielle, both of them.

She wondered how Danielle was getting on; she wondered if her daughter was still sleeping or if she was lying there awake alone. She would be there in an instant if she could - anything to stop her baby feeling any more pain or rejection.

"Ronnie?" Her pristine silence was broken as Jane sat down on the bench next to her, "I brought you your coffee,"

Ronnie smiled for a split second, before it faded once more, and murmured thanks as she wrapped her hands around the warm cardboard cup, filling her body with goosebumps at the temperature change. Her eyes met with Jane's for not even a second as she stared down at the plastic lid on top of the cup. She was lost to this situation, nobody ever came up to her in the Square that she didn't class as 'family' – except…except Danielle. She'd always been there, always.

"How's Danielle?" Jane whispered as she sat down on the bench next to Ronnie. Both women sat looking forward, seemingly lost in their own worlds, before Jane spoke again, "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry…"

"No, it's ok," Ronnie replied warmly before taking a sip from the drink in her hands. She was proud to talk about her daughter, proud to tell the square that she _did_ know things about her child, prove that she really did care, "She's ok. Hopefully, she's coming home tomorrow," Ronnie added, a little sigh escaping at the end.

"That's good news," Jane replied politely as she relaxed back onto the bench, shivering slightly in the cold.

Ronnie ran one of her hands across her hairline before tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, so tenderly and gently – just like she had touched Danielle's hair.

"Is it?" she whispered, as she took another sip, attempting to keep her body warm.

Turning her head, Jane looked confused at Ronnie not really knowing what to say. She never had Ronnie Mitchell down as a mother type – who did – but she was a mother, a mother to a girl who Jane had spoken to everyday since she had arrived in Walford. And although idle chatter, she felt she had gotten to know Danielle and her sweet nature.

"I mean…coming back here… all this gossip," Ronnie explained herself as she felt Jane's eyes burden against her face, before absentmindedly tucking another piece of hair behind her ear and facing Jane, "I don't think she can take it, I mean she's great," Ronnie smiled to herself, flickering down to her hands for a moment, before raising them back up again as her smile faded, "More than great, but you saw what Ian was like, I don't want her to have to deal with all of that – she shouldn't have to,"

She was never normally this open – not even to Roxy – but something had changed, Danielle had caused her to change. She lowered her head after she spoke, pulling it away as Jane sat in the silence that had arrived between the two of them.

"I'll have words with Ian," Jane spoke, used to having to defend her husband whose mouth was larger than his brain at times. Ronnie allowed herself to smile for a moment, at Jane's tone of voice, before whispering a murmur of thanks.

"Why didn't she tell you?" Jane whispered, as the two women returned to their original positions, Ronnie taking another sip of coffee and Jane crossing her legs.

"Would you want to tell me?" Ronnie replied after a short time, as she let out a pitied laugh. She didn't blame Danielle, how could she? But she wished she'd have found out sooner, before the pain became unbearable, before she broke her daughter and told her things she would regret for the rest of her life.

Jane smiled to herself, "It's difficult you know, raising kids. I know the twins and Bobby aren't mine but I…I think of them as mine, you know," She sympathized with Ronnie, she really did. She knew first hand how hard it was to raise kids, and even if the situations were slightly different, that weren't necessarily your own, "Lucy used to scream and scream at me that I wasn't her mum, and it hurts but, you have to be strong for them,"

"And if you build up that trust then everything else comes naturally. We have our arguments – everybody does but they're teenagers and that's what they do best,"

Ronnie's eyes stared blankly at the space in front of her, thinking about everything Jane had just said; she could relate to every situation, every situation she had shared with Danielle and even though unintentional she had.

"I don't know how to make her trust me," the words spilt out of Ronnie's mouth before she could stop them as her eyes remained transfixed. Her tone was one of self-loathing of causing this pain, this unbearable pain to both mother and daughter, "After everything that happened, how can she trust me?"

Their eyes met and Jane could see the evident despair and worry in Ronnie's blue eyes – a mother's worry. "She will," Jane reassured Ronnie as she smiled at her, "It'll take time but she will – every promise you keep and when you tell her what's really happening, how you really feel, she'll let you know how she's feeling. Lucy doesn't tell me everything but she tells me a lot…"

"Time helps as well, they learn to trust you and, I'm sure she'll let you know how she's feeling," Ronnie wasn't convinced by Jane's kind words but she had to hope, because without hope what was there? "She's lovely Danielle, always got something to say,"

Ronnie smiled as Jane talked about her daughter, the immense proud-ness making her body cover itself in goosebumps. Her daughter was lovely, she was gorgeous and perfect and kind and caring. Every word Ronnie could think of, that's what her daughter was and more.

"And you know what people are like around here, they move on faster than the days go by – they got over what happened with me and…." The memory was still too raw for Jane to talk about, and digging up the past wasn't what she wanted. It was too painful. A constant reminder of the dreams she had had but the future that would never exist. And that was down to one person, one cruel and selfish person. "They get over things pretty fast," Jane settled on.

"Everything will turn out ok Ronnie," Jane reassured Ronnie, as Ronnie once again gave her a small smile, allowing this woman to see a small fragment of her shattered life.


	28. Chapter 28

**Sorry it's once again been so long without updates, I've just gone back to college and everything has being pilled on me! Not sure how regular updates will be but I will try and update once a week! **

She had been up hours. Hours, and she still didn't feel like she had made the house welcome enough for her daughter. The carpets had been hovered, the cushions rearranged, the fireplace and TV dusted, fridge filled, beds changed and kitchen and bathroom cleaned. Everything had its own place and Ronnie was determined for her flat to feel like a home for her daughter.

Raindrops ran down the window like the tears that had flooded down her daughters face the day before. Why was the weather so miserable when the day ahead was destined to be so special, so momentous. Her daughter was coming home. This was how it should have been all those years ago, Danielle coming home with her mother.

The night had been long and disrupted as Ronnie attempted but failed to sleep. She had too much on her mind – one person on her mind and she was constantly worrying. Was her baby ok? Was she sleeping ok? Were the hospital staff treating her as she deserved to be treated?

She sighed to herself as she stood by the window, admiring but also critising her tiding skills. Her eyes glanced at the clock, noting that only thirty minutes had passed since she had last looked at it. A knock at the door interrupted her train of thoughts as she absentmindedly went to open it. Moments later, a sleeping Amy and tired Roxy accompanied her into the living room.

Roxy made herself comfortable on the sofa, gently stroking Amy's tufts of blonde hair as she declined a drink Ronnie offered to make. Ronnie took her seat next to her sister, running her hand across her nose and forehead before biting her lip. She was beyond nervous for Danielle's homecoming, worrying about how Danielle would react to the locals and all the gossip that she would try and conceal but obviously fail at doing. She was supposed to protect her baby but she couldn't; she felt so weak, so useless, so pathetic.

"You've been busy," Roxy noted as her eyes drifted around the room, taking in the clean and tidy surroundings.

Ronnie didn't reply as she looked around the room simultaneously with her sister.

"Is she definitely coming home today Ron?"

Ronnie nodded in reply, a small smile forming across her face but fading almost as rapidly. She was growing impatient, she just wanted to see her daughter, to see her baby but she knew the hospital wouldn't let her onto the ward. Anyway, Danielle would probably still be sleeping at the moment; she was exhausted yesterday when Ronnie helped her get to sleep. Ronnie smiled at the memory.

"She might not even stay here Ron, you know," Roxy burst Ronnie's bubble as Ronnie turned to face her sister with a confused expression. "She might wand to stay at the Slaters? Don't you think she would feel more comfortable there?"

"But she's my daughter Roxy," Ronnie whispered, almost angrily in reply, "She should be with me" Ronnie couldn't understand why Roxy was saying these things; Danielle was her daughter, nobody else's, hers. She knew she was being selfish but she had wanted nothing more than her daughter for years and here she was, but yet people were trying to take her away once again – separate mother and daughter.

"What about what Danielle wants?" Roxy questioned, as she felt Amy stir in her arms. She was trying to understand her sister; she knew how she would feel if Amy was taken away from her but Danielle wasn't a baby, she was a fully grown adult.

"She'll want to visit me and come back to my flat; she's stayed here before," Ronnie stressed, as she stood up from the sofa, turning her back onto her sister.

"What?" Roxy questioned, confused at her sisters remark.

"It doesn't matter," Ronnie hushed, as she turned back to face her sister and niece, flicking her hair away from the place where it lay settled on her shoulder.

"No go on Ron. Why has Danielle stayed here before?"

"I said it doesn't matter…but she did, ok," Ronnie tried to brush over the topic, to stop Roxy asking so many questions. She wanted to be the only person to know of the memory, to keep it to herself and Danielle, "We had breakfast together and it was lovely" Ronnie whispered, smiling as she thought back to the morning she had spent with her baby.

The reality was, it wasn't the best morning; Danielle's shock revelation the night before had been starling, even more so now Ronnie knew the truth, but it was one of the only times Ronnie had seen her daughter and talked to her without insulting her or hurting her.

"Things are different now Ron, everyone knows it and she might not want to stay here, she might not even be out today," Roxy spoke what she believed to be the truth, hoping her sister would realise that the relationship she wanted with Danielle maybe one that Danielle didn't want to submerge herself in yet. She couldn't see her sister hurt anymore.

"It's hard for everyone; she lied about who she was for so long,"

"That was not her fault, and don't you even suggest it was," Ronnie spat out in disgust, ashamed that her own sister could accuse her daughter of been the reason for everything that happened, "It was me and it was dad – he lied" Ronnie stressed, as she narrowed her eyes to face her sister. She hated referring to herself and that man in the same sentence, it made her blood boil and the anger creep back into her system.

"But so did Danielle," Roxy whispered, almost frightened at how her sister was handling the situation. She knew she was hurt, but she was acting unreasonable, acting selfishly. Desperate not to increase the sensitivity of the situation, Roxy hadn't dared ask about what had happened at the hospital last night after she had left.

"I can't believe you're saying this, after all the time you spent with her yesterday, you saw how fragile and how scared she is. How confused she is," Ronnie rambled on as she shook her head, why did nobody understand?

Grabbing at the plastic bag which she had brought in with her, Roxy rummaged around in it before pulling out a rectangle based object covered in wrapping paper. She removed the wrapping paper lying limply on it to reveal a silver photo frame. She handed it to her sister, who somewhat reluctantly took the object from her sister's hand as Roxy spoke, "She left this in the Vic, why would she leave it there before telling you who she was? It doesn't make sense," Roxy whispered as she soothed a waking Amy in her arms.

Ronnie's eyes filled with soft tears as her eyes focused on the picture in front of her. There was her daughter, cuddling her niece and smiling at the camera. She stared at her daughters face and happy smile; sniffing back the tears as she thought back to all the times her daughter had tried to tell her the truth. She was so beautiful, she remarked to herself as she let her finger tip trace around her daughter's face.

"She's my baby Rox, my little girl," Ronnie whispered as she kept her eyes firmly on the photograph in her hands, "I don't care if she lied because she came to find me. I won't have her in this square without me, not with you know... with him still out there. She needs protecting and I'm her mum and I'm going to do it," Ronnie sounded strong and firm as she spoke, but deep down she could feel the worry creeping in as her eyes drifted back to the clock. It was time to leave. It was time to see her baby once more.

After leaving the flat, the car journey had been tense with Ronnie unwilling to even look her sister in the eye. The journey had been silent, with only a few cries from Amy in the back seat, and Roxy singing along to a few songs before stopping and resuming to a silent journey.

As they pulled up outside the hospital, Ronnie unfastened her seatbelt and opened the car door once Roxy had pulled up to a halt, "I don't want you coming in– you can take me and Danielle home but I don't want you to…to come in and pick her up," Ronnie spoke with no enthusiasm, as she clambered out of the car, "Stay in the car with Amy," Roxy undid her seatbelt, in the hope that Ronnie would change her mind but her older sister slammed the door shut, waking a sleeping Amy.

Ronnie sighed as she walked off, not even giving a second glance to her sister in the waiting red jeep. How dare she even suggest anything was Danielle's fault? How dare she even suggest she lied? Her daughter meant everything to her, the world. And she wouldn't allow her sister to give her a tainted opinion of her baby, everything was already so fragile.

Her nerves reappeared as she walked up the stairs onto the ward where her daughter was. She hoped Danielle would cope and be ok, she had to be. Ronnie had to be strong for the both of them, show Danielle that she had changed and wanted her as her daughter. The chat with Jane last night had been comforting but yet, her fears were still rooted, worried that one of the locals would upset her darling daughter and crush her even more.

Her heart melted as she turned onto the ward and was faced with her smiling daughter, sat on the bed, her hair still in the plaits which Ronnie had done last night. An empty plate lay on a tray beside her bedside and her bag was packed. Ronnie smiled, receiving a small grin back from Danielle, "Hey,"


	29. Chapter 29

The medicines had been collected, outpatient appointments made for the following week and one mother and daughter were leaving the hospital. Danielle shyly walked side by side with her mother as the left the entrance, Ronnie heaving the black bag over her shoulder. Danielle yawned; after a restless night of worrying and endless tossing and turning she wasn't sure she was ready to face the whole of Walford.

As the automatic doors opened, Ronnie shot a glance at her daughter – her baby. A smile spread across her face as she saw Danielle yawn; so perfect in her actions, making Ronnie want to smoother her in affection.

"How was your night?" Ronnie asked, desperate to find out anything that she had missed. Upstairs, with so much to organize and sort out, Ronnie hadn't even got to speak to Danielle probably let alone give her a hug or hold her hand. And now, here in her baby's company she had to resist the urge to overwhelm her daughter with the love she wanted to shower her in.

Danielle coughed, clearing her throat, as she drifted her tired eyes up to her mothers, "Ok," she shrugged, before moving them back down and following Ronnie's lead. She didn't want Ronnie to think she was pathetic for worrying so much. Now, she felt stupid. Ronnie _had _turned up, she had turned up at the time she said she would and she had been here to take Danielle home.

_Home. _Danielle didn't even know what home was anymore.

"I spent the night hoping you were ok," Ronnie whispered, closing the gap that had formed between the two women, hoping that her words would take them back to the way things were yesterday. Instead, the desired effect didn't happen with Danielle flushing in embarrassment and pulling away from Ronnie. Danielle felt uneasy with such close proximity between them, it was difficult to remember how things had been yesterday, how easy and naturally the conversation had flowed.

Until now, Ronnie hadn't realised how close they were to Roxy's parked car as she stopped abruptly in front of it. Danielle stood like a lose part as Ronnie opened the boot to place the bag inside the car.

Despite knowing she was under the watchful eye of her sister, Ronnie took her daughter's hand in hers and gave it an encouraging squeeze. She nodded her head gently and smiled; her smile growing as Danielle returned a small smile. "It'll be ok," Ronnie mouthed as she led Danielle to the right hand side door.

Soon enough, the four Mitchells were on their way home, with an idle chatter falling between them. Danielle sat awkwardly in the back of the car, listening to the conversation between her mum and aunt. Every now and then, Ronnie would turn around and smile at Danielle, who would instantly smile back. Amy remained asleep for the whole journey, with Danielle keeping a watchful eye on her.

As the car drove into Walford Square, both Ronnie and Danielle felt the butterflies in their stomachs return. Turning around, Ronnie smiled in encouragement at Danielle who bit her lip in worry. Roxy parked up outside Ronnie's flat, turning off the engine and turning around to face Danielle. "Home sweet home," she chorused, just as Amy woke up, letting out short cries.

Simply staring out of the window, wishing that everything could be as simple as Roxy made it out to be, Danielle daren't look at her 'family'. This wasn't home. Home was with her family, with the people who had been there for her and loved her for always. Walford wasn't home. She could feel the stares through the car window as the car remained stationary; everywhere she looked there was somebody staring.

"Danielle?" Ronnie whispered as Roxy clambered out of the car to comfort a crying Amy. "Are you ok?" Moving her head, and flicking her hair behind her shoulders, Ronnie tried desperately to get the attention of her little girl. Cautiously, she reached out and placed a comforting hand on Danielle's knee.

Danielle flinched momentarily, before relaxing slightly and plucking up the courage to look at her mother. She didn't reply to the question she had been posed, instead simply smiling at Ronnie as a way of trying to convince her that everything was ok.

Realistically, it wasn't. Danielle wasn't sure how to deal with all this attention, all this fame and gossip. She wasn't like Ronnie; she hated been the center of attention, with everyone talking about her when her back was turned. She liked being shy, timid Danielle.

Ten minutes later, Ronnie and Danielle were inside the safety of Ronnie's flat; after saying goodbye to Roxy and Amy - Ronnie had ushered them away desperate to spend time with her daughter alone.

The flat seemed warm and inviting as Danielle entered the living room; different to how it had felt before. It felt almost homely, almost like 'home'. Her eyes drifted around the room, taking in her surroundings as she lingered at the doorway. Ronnie had placed her bag on the floor of the living room and had walked into the kitchen, switching on the kettle. Danielle, unsure of what to do, had simply stayed where she had been placed.

Ronnie sighed as she came back into the living room, taking off her coat and placing it across the arm of one of the chairs. She smiled simultaneously at the sight of her daughter, as she indicated for her to sit down. Danielle did as she was told, sitting down and holding her bandaged arm in her hand. Ronnie followed suite, sitting down and making herself comfortable on the sofa, watching intently as Danielle remained perched on the end. She had wanted this to feel like home to Danielle, a safe haven. But yet, she could see her daughter was struggling to feel that way, to open up like she had done the night before.

Silently sitting on the sofa, Danielle traced her fingers up her bandaged arm, a stark reminder of what had happened only days ago. Sniffing back the crystal tears that were forming in her eyes, Ronnie breathed deeply. She had no idea what to say, no idea what Danielle wanted to do or even if bringing her back here was a good idea. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, and even though she knew that, realistically, Danielle wouldn't want to stay – she hoped that she was wrong.

"I…I'm going to the club later, if you want to come?" Ronnie unsurely asked, picking at the nail polish on her fingernails as a way of preoccupying herself from the fear of dread and guilt she felt every time she looked at the distressed and vulnerable state her baby was in.

Bravely, Danielle turned to face Ronnie, her mouth agape as she pondered over her answer. She felt disgusting as she saw a glimpse of herself in the TV – her matted greasy hair and tired eyes so prominent in her reflection. Her face fell, an expression of self loathing appearing as she wished she could be more like her mother. "You…you won't want me there," she whispered, letting out a pitied sigh as she did so.

"No, no I do," Ronnie jumped in, desperate to let her feelings known to her daughter. Moments ago, she had seen Danielle's expression change unable to work out exactly what her daughter was thinking. Her hands flinched as she spoke, rather more abruptly that she had intended, as she gently rested it on Danielle's knee, an offer of comfort and understanding. "I really want you there Danielle, you were…you were great last time," she muttered her final words, unsure if they were the right words to say, she didn't want to damage her little girl beyond the damage caused already.

Danielle's eyes once again reconnected with her mother's as she felt a slight sense of relief and bemusement. She couldn't believe that Ronnie had remembered a moment which had been so special, but yet so destructive to her. She gently squeezed Ronnie's hand and let out a small smile, before whispering an ok.


End file.
